Advocates for at-risk children concerned at Toowoomba’s rising rates of kids in foster care

Two Toowoomba boys have lived in 30 homes over recent months — and they are just two of the thousands of children involved in the foster care system.

Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki and Act for Kids central and western regional director Heidi Fowler with the increase in Darling Downs children living away from home.

Two Toowoomba children, aged five and seven, spent this week sleeping in their 30th beds in residential care over the past few months.

The brothers are just two of the 2300 children currently in the foster care system across Toowoomba and southwest region — and those numbers are only increasing.

Advocates and child safety officers saw a 22 per cent increase in the number of children living away from home since 2016, worth an extra 416 children.

It’s a concern for Act for Kids central and western regional director Heidi Fowler, whose Toowoomba team help to heal past trauma for the 380 families.

Such is the demand for services, the organisation has a 12-week waiting list in Toowoomba.

“Act for Kids specialises in helping families cope with the impacts of domestic and family violence, sexual abuse, mental health, drug abuse, poverty, and learning difficulties,” Ms Fowler said.

“We visit families weekly in their homes and talk to all people involved in that family’s life such as their school, doctor, hospital, grandparents, neighbours – people who are important to their support.

“Staff work with families to address domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse issues while also helping develop life skills such as setting routines, budgeting, managing a household, nutrition, parenting and emphasising the importance of school.”

Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki said he wanted to see the State Government support Act for Kids’ plan to fund individual care packages for at-risk children.

“There needs to be more investment in these life-changing programs when a child first comes to the attention of Child Safety – rather than years later spending more than $300,000 per child, per year to house children in residential care as a last resort,” he said.

“I am supporting Act for Kids in their lobbying of the government to fund more individual care packages for our vulnerable children, which provides tailored support for each child.”

According to the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs, nearly 12,000 children are now living away from home in Queensland.