GRANDCARERS
722. Dr K. STRATTON to the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting grandparent carers and the
important work they do for their families
and the local community. Can the minister advise the house how this government's
increase in funding for grandparent carers will further support these
carers in the sometimes challenging work they do in looking after their
grandchildren, and outline to the house why it is important that grandparent
carers are well supported by the government?
Ms S.F.
McGURK replied:
I thank the member for that question
and her commitment not only to the work of supporting grandparent carers, or
grandcarers, in our community, but also her expertise in that area. Members
might be aware that the member for Nedlands
co-authored a research report into grandcarers in Western Australia before she
became a member of Parliament.
I
thank the member for the question because it is important that we not only
provide practical support for grandcarers in our community, which this
government has committed to do, but also take the time to meet with them and
listen to what their needs are. That is something that we as a government have
been very determined to do since coming to office in 2017. In fact, in the
lead-up to the 2021 election we made a commitment to increase the annual
support that the state government gives to grandcarers. Previously, up until
that commitment was made, $400 a year was given for the first child in their
care and $250 for each subsequent child in a grandcarer's household.
During the 2021 election campaign, we committed to that becoming $1 000 for
each child in a grandcarer's care. I was pleased to make the announcement that this was part of the
last state budget and will be rolled out to all grandcarers who we are
aware are receiving supports under the state system. We are also pleased to be
able to backdate that payment to 1 July so that if grandcarers have received
payments of less than $1 000 per child, the difference will be made up.
As
I said, it is not only important that we provide practical support, but also
take the time to listen to grandcarers. In the lead-up to the election, the
member for Kingsley and I met with a number of members of Grandparents Rearing
Grandchildren. We had a conversation with grandcarers who said it would be
really good if they could access some of the supports that the
Department of Communities gives to kinship carers and foster carers. As a result
of that conversation, we have now made some training available to grandcarers.
The first tranche of that training has now been
rolled out at Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren's headquarters in the
northern suburbs. Grandparents
Rearing Grandchildren did a workshop on identifying trauma and being
able to give grandcarers the tools to identify and respond to grandchildren
suffering from trauma. The feedback was that that was really useful.
I
take this time to acknowledge Janice Standen, who is the head of Grandparents
Rearing Grandchildren and who was recently announced as Western Australia's
Senior Australian of the Year. It is really pleasing to see that recognition of
Jan's work and, I suppose, her advocacy on behalf of grandcarers. By
recognising Jan, perhaps all grandcarers
around the state are being recognised. On behalf of the state government, thank
you to all the grandcarers out there
who do an incredible job looking after their grandchildren, often dealing with
their own children's difficulties and traumas. It is challenging
work that is physically, financially and emotionally demanding, but I know that
they do it out of love, and we thank them for it.