Youth Refuge Policy

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Speakers - Cochran Mr Peter; Longley Mr James
Business - Private Members Statements

YOUTH REFUGE POLICY

Mr COCHRAN (Monaro) [5.30]: I speak on behalf of my constituents Mr Bill Wilson and Mrs Jill Wilson, of 71 Severne Street, Queanbeyan, with regard to the unfortunate case of their daughter Jemma. This case is representative of many similar cases across the State. Desperate parents attempt to raise with welfare agencies concerns about the behaviour of their children, but without much success. Mrs Wilson sent me a letter on 18 April - the date is important - which reads:

Dear Mr Cochran,

This letter is a plea from a desperate parent.

Six weeks ago our sixteen year old daughter Jemma left home without our knowledge and moved into a refuge here in Queanbeyan. She was aided in this act by David Blankley who is responsible for the day to day running of Youth Resources in Queanbeyan. She had previously run away in December, but returned home after a week of "time out".

After a confrontation at home I made an appointment for Jemma with Mr Blankley to see if he could help her sort out why she was so angry. He promised me that he would contact me after seeing Jemma and give me some feed back. Mr Blankley did not contact me. My ten year old son phoned me at my place of work and asked me why Jemma was going away in a car with a strange person.

Upon phoning Mr Blankley he told me that Jemma was the client and therefore could not tell me what they had discussed. He told me that Jemma was having time out and refused to tell me or my husband where she was. All he would tell us is that all contact had to be through him, effectively preventing us from making contact with our daughter. I find this outrageous.

The next day I was contacted by Mr Anthony Johnson from the Department of Community Services in Queanbeyan who insisted on seeing my husband or I before telling us where our daughter was.

This sequence of events shocked and angered us both because we had previously spoken with Mary Harris, who is a District Officer with Department of Community Services in December when Jemma went to the School Counsellor and announced that she wanted to leave home. Mary's assessment of Jemma then was that she was immature and easily led and she felt the last place Jemma should go was a refuge because of the bad influences there.

The letter goes on to describe the situation and to make requests of me. I believe there is a desperate need in the community for another step between the dispute in the family home - the confrontation with which we are all familiar - and the community refuge supported by the department. Officers who are involved in the early stages of a conflict should be able to offer accommodation in a foster home to a desperate child, away from the influence of refuges, which quite often have a detrimental effect. The parents involved in this case are of the highest standing. I have known them personally for many years. They are desperate for help. No counselling is available for the parents. The child was first counselled without any consultation with the parents. I am not seeking to apportion blame - in fact, the Wilsons praised Anthony Johnson and Mary Harris - but there seems to be a flaw in the system. I ask the Minister for Community Services to use this case as a test case - the Wilsons have informed me that they would be happy for this to occur - to establish where we are failing in addressing the problems of young people.

Jemma has been before the courts. She has been wandering to and fro between community service facilities in the Australian Capital Territory and refuges in the Australian Capital Territory. She has been in conflict with the law in the Territory as well as in New South Wales. As late as yesterday she pleaded guilty to five counts of fraudulently receiving money. Next Monday she is due to appear again in Queanbeyan Local Court on an unlicensed driver charge. While many would say that she is an irresponsible and uncontrollable child, the problems started on or about 18 April. Many parents in this House and in the community can relate to such problems. The Minister must consider the parents in these situations and consult them at the earliest opportunity. Conciliation between the family and the child must be the top priority of the department at all times.

Mr LONGLEY (Pittwater - Minister for Community Services, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister for the Ageing) [5.35]: The concern of the honourable member for Monaro about such issues is genuine. A situation not dissimilar to that raised by
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the honourable member led me to initiate a pilot program for intensive family based services to assist families before they break up. The prevention side of the equation has been neglected for far too long in Australia, and New South Wales is a leader with its pilot programs. The Government has also commenced programs for counselling and mediation between parents and teenagers with a view to prevention of family break-up. I will make the relevant inquiries in regard to the specific instance raised today and ensure that the honourable member is provided with a response. This Government has a very proud record on these issues - because of the concerns of members such as the honourable member for Monaro. We are leading Australia with innovative preventive programs, which are the direction of the future. I applaud the honourable member for raising the issue.

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