PRESS RELEASE: CREATE CAIRNS OFFICE OPENS WITH A SPLASHING GOOD TIME FOR LOCAL KIDS IN CARE!

MEDIA RELEASE
24 June 2021

CREATE CAIRNS OFFICE OPENS WITH
A SPLASHING GOOD TIME FOR LOCAL KIDS IN CARE!

Saturday 19th June, CREATE Foundation’s Cairns team hosted a fun event to mark the recent opening of CREATE’s first permanent office in Cairns, QLD. In the lead up to the event, the team was delighted by the warmth and hospitality from the Cairns and Far North Queensland community. The event was very successful with over 60 children and carers attending the “Sugarworld” event, with some travelling from as far north as Atherton, Mareeba and Mossman to southern Cairns.

In Australia, over 44,9061 children did not sleep in their own home last night and are presently growing up in out-of-home care. In Far North Queensland specifically, there are currently 2140* children and young people in care.

A highlight of the event was a Gimuy Walubara Yidinji elder, Hendrick Fourmile, who presented CREATE’s Welcome to Country and smoking ceremonies, which were very powerful ceremonies with people receiving individual smoking and blessings on the day. During the festivities, children had fun enjoying choosing their treasure hunt prizes and many of them spoke about what they had shared with their new friends.

CREATE Chief Executive Officer, Ms Jacqui Reed shared that these “Connection” events are vital for children and young people, and their carers, to meet others their age with shared experiences. “There were very poignant moments such as when a young girl excitedly told the story of sharing her best friend necklace with a new friend that she plans to play with again next week, along with other kids having fun with new play mates.”

“It is so heart-warming and really unites our community in both supporting each other as individuals and as part of CREATE’s larger vision,” continued Ms Reed.

CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience (including kinship care, foster care and residential care). CREATE develops policy and research to report on and advocate for a better care system.

For more information please visit the CREATE website at www.create.org.au
For further comment from CREATE’s Chief Executive, Ms Jacqui Reed, and/or a young person with care experience contact Leigh White, CREATE Communications Advisor, via (m) 0431 932 122 or [email protected]

Sources:
* https://www.cyjma.qld.gov.au/about-us/performance-evaluations/our-performance/ongoing-intervention-phase/living-away-home (Table LA.6Q: Children living away from home, by region, Queensland as at December 2020)

Key statistics on the care sector in Australia:
1. 44,906 children were in out-of-home care across Australia as at June 30, 2019 (AIHW 2020)
2. Young people in out-of-home care are 16 times more likely to be under a youth justice order than the general population
3. 35% of young people experience homelessness within the first year of leaving care
4. 46% of males have been involved with the justice system since leaving care
5. 29% of young people who have left care or preparing to leave care are unemployed
6. 36% children and young people in care do not live with any of their siblings
7. 35% of young people in care have five or more caseworkers during their time in care
8. 67% of young people in care over the age of 15 are not aware of having a leaving care plan
McDowall, J. J. (2018). Out-of-home care in Australia: Children and young people’s views after five years of National Standards. Sydney: CREATE Foundation.