Twelve Christmas wishes for vulnerable children and families

In her final column for the year, Deb Tsorbaris gives a list of 12 Christmas wishes for vulnerable children and families doing it tough. 

As the year draws to a close, many of us look forward to enjoying the festive season with family, friends and loved ones. However, there are growing numbers of children and families doing it tough in Australia today. A global pandemic, cost of living crisis and the devastating impact of natural disasters have left many reeling.

In no particular order, here are my 12 wishes for children and families across the country this Christmas.

1. The best possible care for all children and young people removed from their families

If the state makes the difficult decision to place a child in care, then we have an obligation as a community to make sure that every one of these children receives the therapeutic and trauma-informed services they need to thrive. And every carer who takes on responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of a child needs to be given sufficient financial support to enable them to provide for their child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and cultural needs. 

2. An income above the poverty line for all families 

All children, regardless of where they live in Australia, are entitled to be adequately clothed, fed, sheltered, and have access to the same educational opportunities and health services as their peers who are materially better off. During the pandemic, we saw the dramatic difference an increase in income supports can have, with a 30 per cent reduction in poverty. We need to permanently raise income support to remove the daily pressure on families struggling to survive.

3. Access to safe and stable housing for all children and families 

Children and families have the right to be in housing that keeps them safe. With rising rent prices, stagnant wages, and the tightest rental markets in years, we need to be doing much more to create social and affordable housing for our most vulnerable citizens. 

4. Closing the gap for Aboriginal children and young people 

With Aboriginal children 11 times more likely to be removed from their families than non-Indigenous children, closing the gap for Aboriginal children and young people must be a priority for our nation. We need proportionate investment in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to support self-determination and ensure that all Aboriginal children are safe, supported and connected to culture, community and Country.

5. Adequate support for children and young people in rural and regional areas  

Access to government services remains limited in much of regional and rural Australia. Increasing the supply of workers to regional and rural areas would ease some of the pressures on existing service providers and enable them to reach more children and young people outside metropolitan areas. We need innovative government programs to tackle workforce shortages and distribute services more equitably.

6. Availability of services for children and families when and as needed

All children and young people deserve protection from abuse, neglect, and crime, and to be safe in their homes. We have a responsibility to provide early and therapeutic support to all children and young people, to break cycles of violence, support victims of trauma in their recoveries, and to prevent children from entering into care.  

7. A platform for service users to ensure their perspectives are reflected in policy and program design 

Too often service users have no say in the policies and decisions that affect them. We need to make much better use of the insights and expertise that people with lived experience can bring to decision making. Who better to let us know what would have made a difference to them or their children at particular points in their lives? 

8. A child impact lens for all policy, program and funding decisions 

Every government decision needs to be scrutinised appropriately to ensure no negative or unintended harmful consequences for children. Having a dedicated Minister for Children in federal government, with a focus on our international obligations to uphold children’s rights, would be a wonderful start. 

9. More accessible low cost counselling services

Victoria’s Royal Commission into Mental Health found that the right treatment, care and support, delivered as soon as mental health and wellbeing challenges emerge, can be life-changing. But this support needs to be accessible to people on low incomes and in regional and rural areas.

10. Every child and young person in Australia receiving the best available education

Guaranteeing access to early years education would help create more equitable early learning opportunities for vulnerable children while support to pursue post-secondary education means even the most vulnerable young people can access university and TAFE if they wish to do so. 

11. More effort towards keeping children and young people out of the justice system

Families must be better supported so children grow up in safe and nurturing households to reduce the chances of ending up in child protection and youth justice. For those children who end up in youth justice, we must not give up on them. They need wraparound support and interventions to connect them safely and productively into the community.

12. Continued investment in programs that can change people’s lives for the better.

It is not only individuals but the community as a whole that benefits from investment in evidence-based and evidence-informed programs which can be scaled up so they reach as many children and families as need them.

The challenges that vulnerable children and families face are complex, requiring innovative solutions and a steadfast commitment from policymakers. We know what is working, and what could be done better. This Christmas, I will be looking to the year ahead with optimism that a better future is around the corner for all children and families.