VCOSS acknowledges the apology to the Forgotten Australians
VCOSS welcomes the historic apology given by the Australian Parliament on the 16 November 2009 to those children who experienced trauma as a result of being in state care up until the 1970s, known as the ‘Forgotten Australians’.
VCOSS also welcomes the commitments of the Victorian Government to the ‘Forgotten Australians’ and the announcement of a new specialist support service for those raised in Victoria’s state homes.
VCOSS supports the call of the Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare, through the Forgotten Australians Report Sector Working Group, for Victoria to implement a redress scheme for older care-leavers that adopts at minimum the best aspects of other State’s schemes.
VCOSS commits to continuing to advocate for systemic improvements to services for children and families, to prevent future generations of Victorian children from experiencing such devastating trauma.
Children
During the first years of children's life they develop the basic building blocks that will play a critical role in later emotional and educational development. This makes these early years of fundamental importance. Yet in Victoria, not enough services are available that assist families to best support their children's early development.
VCOSS advocates for a strengthening and expansion of high quality early childhood education and care services, from prenatal up to and including the transition to the first years of school. Provision of these services would increase the proportion of children entering school with the basic skills for life and learning.
The most effective children's services are based on a child-centred model (illustrated in the chart below), in which all children's supports, including family, carers, teachers and health professionals are structured around the child. To be successful each of these supports needs to be fully resourced.
Services also need to be integrated with strong linkages across all service types, from universal services through to specialist services.
Universal children’s services include maternal and child health, playgroups, childcare and kindergarten. These services target all children, providing a strong foundation to support the wellbeing of all children and families, address disadvantage and assist in children’s learning and development.
Specialist children’s services, such as disability early intervention services and parenting support services, provide additional support for vulnerable children and families.
Strengthening the linkages between universal and specialist services would mean that universal services are better able to reach out to the most vulnerable children and families.