GRANDPARENTS MISS OUT ON FOSTER CARE FUNDS

The most obvious group of all - grandparents - have been left out of State Government plans to increase the number of foster carers in Victoria.

Gippsland MP Peter Hall said today while he welcomed the State Government announcement that $500,000 has been allocated to a foster care recruitment drive, he was baffled that grandparents were not able to attract state funding when caring for their grandchildren.

"The people who in many cases are best suited to perform foster care are grandparents and they receive no support at all to do so," he said.

"Grandparents do not receive foster care payments, even though many are elderly, on pensions or limited income and struggle financially with the cost of raising grandchildren."

Mr Hall said he had heard of cases where grandparents have had to sell their home to cover the costs of raising grandchildren. Then they rented another place.

He added he knew of one Gippsland constituent who had been caring for two grandchild since her own daughter had died of a terminal illness. However, the Minister for Community Service and Children, in response last month to a letter from Mr Hall, said only children placed in care by the Statutory Child Protection service attracted caregiver reimbursements.

"In fact, the Minister specified that the Government, through the Department of Human Services, was not able to provide financial support," Mr Hall said.

"It is a ridiculous situation. The only way in which grandparents could gain financial support would be to care for someone else's children. Then their own grandchildren would be placed in foster care and carers paid to do this task by the Government."

Mr Hall said The Nationals' believed the child's best interests were served by keeping care within the extended family, if direct care is not possible.

"The Victorian Government should encourage extended family members to foster care family members by providing some financial support."

Media contact: Peter Hall (03) 5174 7066