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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 248 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 March 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — COMMUNITIES — FOSTER CARERS

248. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Child Protection:

(1) Since the current outbreak of COVID-19 began in December 2021, how many foster carers have reached out to the Department of Communities—child protection and family services—to request help in managing the spread of the virus at home and protecting members of the household who have tested negative when one or more householders has a positive case of COVID-19?

(2) If yes to (1), how many requests for assistance has the department received?

(3) What advice has the Department of Communities provided to foster carers for managing the spread of COVID-19 at home?

(4) What support has the Department of Communities provided to foster carers whose households have confirmed cases of COVID-19?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1)–(2) There is no differentiation between requests for assistance from foster carers and other members of the community. Any additional supports provided on top of the standard welfare response are recorded on individual case files and not collated centrally. Emergency welfare support is provided to eligible people with COVID-19 or those required to self-isolate. This emergency support is subject to a welfare assessment.

(3)–(4) The Casework practice manual provides policy and practice direction for managing COVID-19 in the home, which is regularly updated in accordance with health advice. Communities also provides advice to carers to support children dealing with isolation, including a dedicated section on the WA government's website titled ''COVID-19 coronavirus: Out of home care''. There has been ongoing liaison with the Foster Care Association of WA to gain information on any concerns being raised with it by carers and for those concerns to be addressed by Communities. If the carer is too unwell to provide care, Communities will source alternative arrangements, firstly, by a natural support—friends and family—then through formal avenues, that is, another carer, and will maintain contact with the carer. In 2020, $3.6 million in one-off COVID-19 support payments were made to assist foster carers with buying essential items and covering additional expenses to ensure children remained safe, healthy and connected to school as part of the WA recovery plan.