Did you know, the Voices in Action Grants allow young people with a care experience the chance to attend this life-changing conference along with hundreds of others with a similar, shared experience?
Taking place 26-29 April, 2022, the Voices in Action Conference (ViA) will bring the care community (i.e. foster, residential or kinship care) together from around the globe, and eligible people aged 12-25 years with a statutory care experience can apply online to attend.
Grants close on Friday, 11 March, 2022. Read more and apply today https://voicesinaction.create.org.au/grant-application/
2022 ViA conference speakers include: Canadian resilience expert, Dr Michael Ungar, Ph.D., Melbournian consultant psychologist, Gregory Nicolau, Britain’s Caine Wild and Sydney’s Isaiah Dawe, each sharing their unique insights and expertise throughout the conference.
This fifth biennial Voices in Action Conference is generously supported by sponsors including: DSS Federal Government, SA Government, Life Without Barriers, NT Government, Mackillop Family Services, Proudly supported by the Queensland Government, Key Assets, Anglicare Victoria and Sonder. Young person sponsors: sponsored by the Department of Communities and the WA Commissioner for Children and Young People.
Voices in Action: Resilient, Resourceful, Remarkable.
Don’t forget to register for the Voices in Action: Resilient, Resourceful, Remarkable conference, by 11 March, 2022, to receive a posted delegate satchel.
In Australia alone, over 45,9961 children did not sleep in their own home last night and are presently growing up in out-of-home care. Further to this, five percent of Australia’s children identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and yet this same cohort disproportionately represent more than a third of children in out-of-home-care (approximately 18,862). The need for appropriate supports and resources for those in care remains urgent.
CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience (including kinship care, foster care and residential care). CREATE develops policy and research to report on and advocate for a better care system.
Conference schedule and speaker updates & registration links via: https://voicesinaction.create.org.au/
For information please visit the CREATE website at www.create.org.au
For further comment from CREATE’s Chief Executive, Ms Jacqui Reed, and/or a young person with care experience contact Leigh White, CREATE Media Advisor, via (m) 0431 932 122 or leigh.white@create.org.au
Key statistics on the care sector in Australia:
1. 45,996 children and young people were reported in 2019-20 as living in out-of-home care across Australia (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, 2021).
2. Young people in out-of-home care are 16 times more likely to be under a youth justice order than the general population.
3. 30% of young people experience homelessness within the first year of leaving care. (McDowall, J. J. (2020).
4. 46% of males have been involved with the justice system since leaving care.
5. 29% of young people who have left care or preparing to leave care are unemployed.
6. 36% children and young people in care do not live with any of their siblings.
7. 35% of young people in care have five or more caseworkers during their time in care.
8. 67% of young people in care over the age of 15 are not aware of having a leaving care plan.
Source: McDowall, J. J. (2018). Out-of-home care in Australia: Children and young people’s views after five years of National Standards. Sydney: CREATE Foundation.
