Coalition vows millions to break the cycle of child abuse

PREGNANT women and abused teenagers in state-run homes will be targeted in a $50 million Coalition plan to tackle child abuse.

PREGNANT women and abused teenagers in state-run homes will be targeted in a $50 million Coalition plan to tackle child abuse.

The plan is to stop the cycle before the next generation of potential victims are born.

The early intervention initiatives will focus on trying to break the cycle of abuse by providing educational, health and psychological support for vulnerable mums-to-be and teenagers. The plan -- to be implemented if the opposition wins the November 27 election -- includes allocating a dedicated caseworker to work with "at-risk" women as soon as they become pregnant. It will also entail $16m for intensive antenatal and postnatal support for mothers until their child is four and a further $2m for parenting skills. The package will include $12.8m for educational, health and psychological assessments of abused young people when they enter state-run homes and $16.9m to help them move into study and employment.

The Coalition reforms -- to be announced today -- come as the child protection system in Victoria lurches from one crisis to another. The Ombudsman, workers and the union have all voiced concerns about the number of children in care being injured, raped or even working as prostitutes, as case numbers rise and staff leave.

Opposition community services spokeswoman Mary Wooldridge said this package would help reduce the rate of child abuse in Victoria.