Some children are living in more than 10 homes in a year as carers leave the system

GOLD Coast children needing foster care are confronted with a revolving door where they can stay at up to 10 homes in a year.

Shannon Fentiman fending off questions from the Opposition at Parliament. Pic Annette Dew

GOLD Coast children needing foster care are often confronted with a revolving door where they can stay at up to 10 homes in a year.

New child safety data obtained by the Bulletin reveals that 87 children across the State have had 10 or more placements in 2015-15, up from 60 for the previous 12 months.

The latest reporting figures from the Department of Communities show some concerning trends on the Coast regarding placement agreements where details are updated to foster or kinship carers.

Only 620 placement agreements were completed in the past six months in south-east Queensland, leaving 919 (60 per cent) to be updated.

Those placement agreements not completed include 107 at Mermaid Beach (57 per cent), 85 at Nerang (49 per cent) and 92 at Labrador (55 per cent).

The placement agreements are critical in picking up behavioural trends and the State Opposition believes a faster system would have helped in the case of Logan schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, who ran away 10 times in 12 months.

Tiahleigh Palmer.

Opposition child safety spokesman Ros Bates said the figures reflected the ongoing crisis in the department.

“Labor’s Minister Shannon Fentiman is asking for more foster carers but the ones she does have aren’t getting the vital information they need to look after these children – for example details like the child’s health, education and religion,” Ms Bates said.

“Too many vulnerable children are being placed into homes with either out-of-date placement agreements, or no agreement at all.

“How are these carers meant to give these children a better future with one hand tied behind their back?”

Ms Bates said she was concerned to learn some children were being passed through as many as seven to eight different houses in a year.

“There wouldn’t be such a high turnover if carers were given the right resources in the first place,” she said.

“Will Shannon Fentiman ever take responsibility for these failures?”

Ros Bates at State Parliament — Photo Steve Pohlner

At least a fifth of the carers are quitting each year, with some of them blaming the challenges of dealing with the bureaucracy and the demands by young children sent to them.

A record 529 foster carer families across Queensland have exited the child safety system in 2015-16. Another 513 kin carers, which included grandparents, aunts and uncles also left.

Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said the Government had begun a recruitment campaign for more foster carers.

“The number of children with three of fewer foster care placements has improved over the last five years and we have seen a significant increase in the number of children placed with family,” Ms Fentiman said.

Shannon Fentiman at State Parliament. Pic Annette Dew

“We work hard to place children with families and carers who are a good fit and can give them the best possible care.

“Sometimes children will move placements, for good reason or when circumstances change.

“We always try to minimise unnecessary placement disruptions.

“We commenced a recruitment drive this year and will continue our campaign to encourage Queenslanders to open their hearts and their homes to kids in need in 2017.