PRESS RELEASE: EOI’s open for EPCS Oversight Goup made up of Queensland care leavers

Ten young care leavers will form Queensland’s Extended Post Care Support (EPCS) Oversight Group, reviewing the implementation of the EPCS program, which provides practical support with the transition to independence.

Led by the University of Queensland and Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services and in partnership with CREATE Foundation, the EPCS Oversight Group will be a forum for young people to share their experiences of accessing the EPCS program in its first 12 months.

CREATE CEO Imogen Edeson said she is pleased that voices of young people with lived experience will be listened to as a key source of evidence.

“For young people leaving care, the transition to independence can be overwhelming, abrupt, uncertain and isolating.

To understand the effectiveness of any program, the best place to start is by asking the people who use it about their experiences.

So it’s great that the Queensland Government is ensuring that people with a care experience are involved in steering efforts to understand how this program is working, through the Oversight Group.

CREATE is thrilled to support young Queenslanders to have a say about their experiences of the EPCS program and to contribute to change for future care leavers,” said Ms Edeson.

Expressions of interest are currently being sought from eligible young people until Monday, 12 August.

Participants will have the opportunity to share insights, offer feedback, and collaborate with other stakeholders to refine the EPCS program.

If you have been in out-of-home care, are aged 18-19, live in Queensland and have knowledge of the EPCS program, express your interest here: https://create.org.au/get-involved/yp-committees-and-boards/

CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience. We provide programs to children and young people with a statutory care experience. We listen to what those with a lived experience of the care system tell us, and advocate with and for them to achieve systemic change.

About the Extended Post Care Support (EPCS) Oversight Group
Ten young people aged 18-19 with knowledge of Queensland’s EPCS program will be appointed to the first EPCS Oversight Group. They will share their lived experiences of accessing the program and provide advice on what would make it better.

The EPCS Oversight Group will meet at least four times over an 18-month period and will be reimbursed for their time. For more information, please visit the CREATE website at http://www.create.org.au/yp-committees-and-boards/

*ENDS*

For further comment from CREATE’s CEO, Imogen Edeson, contact Taylor Toovey, Communications and Media Specialist via (m) 0478 814 752 or [email protected]

Key statistics on out-of-home care in Australia
There are currently around 45,393 children and young people in out-of-home (OOHC) care nationally (AIHW, 2023).
As of 30 June 2022, of the 45,393 children and young people in out of home care, 19,432 identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (AIHW, 2023).
Nationwide, only 67.5% of children and young people in care feel they could have a say ‘reasonably often’ and 15.7% reported that they rarely or never had a say (McDowall, 2018).

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Child protection Australia 2021–22. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/child-protection/child-protection-australia-2021-22

McDowall, J. J. (2018). Out-of-home care in Australia: Children and young people’s views after five years of National Standards. CREATE Foundation.