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Struggling 'care leavers' need support

13 August 2008

Dr Catherine Forbes
Dr Catherine Forbes

Monash academic Dr Catherine Forbes has called for vastly improved government support for Victorians who were brought up in institutional care after her research showed many are struggling.

Dr Forbes, from the Faculty of Business and Economics, co-authored the study It’s not too late to care with Sunitha Raman from the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, which represents non-government organisations in the child and family welfare area.

The study is based on detailed interviews and surveys of 77 adult Victorians who were brought up in institutional care. The life outcomes of these "care leavers" were compared with that of the general population.

The study found many experienced poor health, education, income, employment and personal relationships attributable to their institutional care experiences.

The study called for the State Government to:

  • establish a health card that provides care leavers with concessions for health services
  • trial new programs and review guidelines to meet the aged care needs of care leavers in home-based settings
  • increase investment in support services for care leavers and their families
  • improve access for care leavers to their personal records
  • set up a reparation and redress scheme.

Dr Forbes said the measures were needed to ensure Victorian care leavers were properly cared for.

"Our research demonstrates the lifelong impact of institutional care and the trauma that many experienced within that setting," Dr Forbes said.

"But it is not too late to care, and we urge the Government to provide funding for services to help care leavers and their families now."