Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T18:43:40.107Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Measuring the cost of leaving care in Victoria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Catherine Forbes ,
Brett Inder  and
Sunitha Raman
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

On any given night in Victoria, around 4,000 children and young people live under the care and protection of the State. For many young people, this care extends over a long period of time, sometimes until their 18th birthday. It is well documented that young people leaving State care often lack the social and economic resources to assist them in making the transition into independent living. As a consequence, the long-term life outcomes from this group are frequently very poor. A recent report from the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in partnership with Monash University estimated that, for a typical cohort of 450 young people who leave care in Victoria each year, the direct cost to the State resulting from these poor outcomes is $332.5 million. The estimated average outcomes of the leaving care population are based on a recent survey involving sixty young people who had spent at least two years in care as teenagers. This paper provides an overview of the economic methodology used to estimate this cost, and provides discussion of the motivation for measuring outcomes in terms of costs to the State.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 31 , Issue 3: SPECIAL ISSUE Featuring keynote addresses and related papers from TOWARDS BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVING STATE CARE A conference held at Monash University on 22 November 2005 , 2006 , pp. 26 - 33
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2001) Australian Social Trends 4102.0, <http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/>>Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2005) Consumer Price Index, Australia, June 2005 6401.0, <http://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/measures_of_cpi.html>>Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2002) Health and welfare expenditure series No. 20, Table 2001–02 Victoria, <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10043>>Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2004)Google Scholar
Cashmore, J. & Paxman, M. (1996) Wards leaving care: A longitudinal study, NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney.Google Scholar
de Vaus, D. (2004) Diversity and change in Australian families: Statistical profiles. Tables 12.6, 12.7, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (2001) Findings of the audit of children and young people in residential care.Google Scholar
Department of Human Services (2006) Victorian Budget 2006–07 Information Kit, <http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/budget/index.htm>>Google Scholar
Green, S. & Jones, A. (1999) Improving outcomes for young people leaving care in Victoria, Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria and Salvation Army Crossroads Network, <http://www.cwav.asn.au/>CrossRef>Google Scholar
Maunders, D., Liddell, M., Liddell, M. & Green, S. (1999) Young people leaving care and protection: A report to the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme, Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, <http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/>>Google Scholar
Mendes, P. & Goddard, C. (2000) ‘Leaving care programs locally and internationally: Towards better outcomes’, Children Australia, 25(3), 11–16.Google Scholar
Mendes, P. & Moslehuddin, B. (2003. ‘Graduating from the child welfare system’, Youth Studies Australia, 22(4), 37–43.Google Scholar
Mendes, P. & Moslehuddin, B. (2004) ‘Moving out from the state parental home: A comparison of leaving care policies in Victoria and New South Wales’, Children Australia, 29(2), 20–29.Google Scholar
Owen, L., Lunken, T., Davis, C., Cooper, B., Frederico, M. & Keating, T. (2000) Pathways to interdependence and independence: The Leaving Care Initiative, a report for the Victorian Department of Human Services, Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University.Google Scholar
Percival, R. & Harding, A. (2003) The costs of children in Australia today, paper presented at the 8th AIFS conference, Steps forward for families: Research, practice and policy, Melbourne 13 February, <http://www.aifs.gov/institute/afrc8/percival.pdf>>Google Scholar
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) (2002) Use your head – Fact sheet, 26 June, <www.racgp.org.au/document.asp?id=6695>>Google Scholar
Raman, S., Inder, B. & Forbes, C. (2005) Investing for success: The economics of supporting young people leaving care. Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Monograph 5, <http://www.cwav.asn.au/>>Google Scholar
Senate Community Affairs References Committee (2004) Forgotten Australians: A report on Australians who experienced institutional or out-of-home care as children. Senate, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.Google Scholar
Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (2004) Report on Government Services 2004, Productivity Commission, Melbourne, <http://www.pc.gov.au/gsp/rogs.html>>Google Scholar
Victorian Government (2005) Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, Melbourne, Parliament of Victoria, <http://www.dms.dpc.vic.gov.au/>>Google Scholar