The Queensland Government’s announcement of extended care until the age of 21 from July 2023 was very welcome and exciting news for Home Stretch advocates in July 2022!

Minister for Children Leanne Linard said in her statement that the foster care allowance will be extended by two years for carers of young people in foster care who remain living with them, up to the age of 21, as well as funding culturally appropriate non-government case worker support and financial support for young people leaving non-family-based care.

$200,000 has also been allocated in the 2022-23 budget to prepare for implementation, including holding focus groups with young people across the State to hear directly from them about what kind of support they want.

Anglicare SQ played an active role in the Home Stretch campaign, an alliance of Queensland care providers that has been advocating for extended care in this state for more than three years.

We believe that the announcement of extended care in Queensland will help make the difference between our young people surviving or thriving, and are looking forward to the opportunity for the young people supported by our organisations to participate in the coming consultation, to help shape an extended care system in Queensland that truly meets their needs.

Hear from the young people who know

A group of young people who know first hand the challenges of transitioning to adulthood from the care system shared their experiences with us at a recent video launch at New Farm Cinemas in Brisbane.

These are the stories that drove the Home Stretch campaign, and show why the commitment to extended care in Queensland is so important.

 

Why is extended care so important? Find out more

READ

The Home Stretch website has many other good resources, including the landmark Deloitte Access Economics reports, Raising our Children and Extending Care to 21 Years in New South Wales.)

 

 

About Home Stretch Queensland

The Home Stretch Queensland Steering Group was a collaboration of 14 major care providers from across the state. The Steering Group was co-chaired by senior executives from the CREATE Foundation and Life Without Barriers, secretariat was provided by Anglicare SQ, and ongoing support was provided by the national Home Stretch office based in Anglicare Victoria. Our organisational members included Uniting Care Community, Mercy Community Services, Anglicare CQ, Anglicare NQ, Key Assets, Community Living Association, Churches of Christ Care, Peak Care Qld, QATSCIPP, IFYS Ltd, and Queensland Foster and Kinship Care.

 


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