State Labor is accusing the NSW Government of ignoring children in regional areas like the Hunter in need of foster care.
A new foster care program for Western Sydney has been announced today, giving $75,000 of non-taxed funding to those planning to stay home and look after children with complex needs.
However, Labor is concerned the most crucial areas are being ignored, with 14,931 children in the Hunter New England Region currently deemed by FACS to be at risk of significant harm, according to their latest Dashboard Report.
Out of the 87,885 NSW children reported as 'at risk' for the period between 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017, 56,853 were regional, with the Hunter representing the largest proportion by significantly more than the next largest area of need, Western NSW.
Shadow Minister for Family and Community Tanya Mihailuk says it's shocking to see those kids ignored.
"To set up a new foster care program that does not involve regional NSW only serves to highlight the Sydney-centric policies on offer by the Berejiklian government," she said.
"To ignore areas like the Hunter," she continued, "which has the highest number of children reported at risk of significant harm is utterly unacceptable."
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| Image: ScienceGuide |
