What's the Answer? - Create

Preparation PhaseThis for many young people could (and perhaps should) be the longest Phase in which the impact ofseveral of the life domains already would be established. Ongoing Health needs and Educationshould have been addressed as part of life in care, as should Identity and key Relationship formation,and Life Skills development. After age 15, formal Leaving Care planning, in consultation with theyoung person, should begin; all necessary documentation (birth certificates, personal files,references) should be assembled, and any areas of special need and possible supports identified. Allsuch requirements are to be articulated in a Transition from Care PlanHowever, the CREATE Report Card data indicated that 64% of young people surveyed had noknowledge of such a Plan being in place for them. While governments insist that Plans do exist, if theyoung people have not been involved in their development, the benefit of the process in settingguidelines for the care leavers’ future is lost. Research could focus on why Planning is breaking down.Possibly caseworkers are lazy or are unaware of their responsibilities in these areas; this is highlyunlikely, given the motivation required to work within human services and the legislative frameworkin which they operate. It is much more likely that if shortcuts are taken it is because of the need toset priorities (acute cases entering the system receiving most attention) because of unrealisticcaseloads. Also, large numbers of unallocated cases (eg. see data provided in a Report by theOmbudsman, Victoria, 2009) make it is unclear who would take responsibility for transition planningfor such a young person. Relevant organizations (possibly including the Commonwealth governmentin an overseeing role) must direct more attention to improving the planning process (McDowall,2010).Findings from the CREATE Report Card also revealed deficits in specific domain areas that need to beaddressed. For example, in Health, 9.5% of care leavers still found managing their health caredifficult. Also, females were significantly more likely than males to access health services. For aservice that is so necessary and visible within the community, every effort must be made in thepreparation phase to ensure that all potential problems young people might face are identified andresolved.In addition, education planning should be well advanced while the young person is in care. Theobservation that only 35.3% of care leavers in CREATE’s sample completed year 12 indicates thatgreater support and encouragement should have been provided to assist those in care to completetheir education successfully. A related problem is highlighted by the fact that, of the 27% of youngpeople still in care who already had left school, one-fifth did so because they had been expelled.Support through appropriate alternate programs could help get these young people back on track tobecoming productive community members.There also is an expectation that other aspects such as Cultural Identification, Relationshipformation, and Life Skills development would be well advanced while young people are in care. It wasclear from the CREATE Report Card that young people, particularly Indigenous and those fromCulturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, valued contact with siblings and grandparents andwanted more involvement with these family members.7