Youth homelessness
Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:33): (1629) My adjournment is for the Minister for Youth, and some of the issues I am going to be raising before I ask for my action are homelessness, the vulnerability and potential and actual abuse concerns and the need for greater policy in this area. Minister for Youth, the action I seek from you is for you to acknowledge and put into place an overarching strategy to protect and provide appropriate supportive and safe accommodation to address youth homelessness both in and outside of residential care in Victoria, ensuring that vulnerable young people are not left homeless or are not abused, especially if they are in Victorian state care. The Allan Labor government is failing in its overarching strategy or plan to address youth homelessness in Victoria, because the fact is each night there are more than 6000 young people sleeping in our streets. According to the Victorian Youth Homelessness Assembly more than 16,000 young people aged 15 to 24 sought help from the Victorian homelessness services last year, and more than 11,000 of them presented alone – that is right, they had no adult or carer with them. And in the case of 15- and 16-year-olds, this is such an indictment. And what about the young people who are younger than 15? Our most vulnerable group – our children and youth – has been inexcusably let down by this government, who focuses on building an unwanted Suburban Rail Loop rather than using funds to prioritise the protection of our children.
I recently had the privilege of meeting with staff at Berry Street in Narre Warren. It is an amazing organisation, and I commend all the staff – the welfare workers, the teachers and the leadership – for the tremendous work that they are doing. It is there to assist children, young people and families who are experiencing poverty, violence and abuse through special supported education that provides for their additional needs. Their mandate is to help young people experiencing homelessness and abuse to feel safe so that they can have a learning environment where they can actually receive some sense of hope and secure a better future.
We know that vulnerable children and young people removed from their homes and placed in residential care continue to face horrific exposure to sexual abuse due to this government’s failure and chronic underfunding and lack of intervention and oversight – I will add that too. Last year the Commission for Children and Young People revealed that in just one year 160 incidents were reported, with 85 children in residential care being victims of child prostitution, as reported by my colleague Ms Britnell in the other place and in her recent media release.
Berry Street, as you know, began in 1877 when a group – (Time expired)