An inquiry into emergency accommodation in New South Wales has found the settings are not suitable or appropriate environments for children and young people and should cease. The special inquiry -- led by the state's Advocate for Children and Young People -- heard testimony from young people who said they felt unsafe and unsupported in alternative care arrangements. The arrangements cost taxpayers across the state approximately $100 million in the 2022 to -23 financial year.
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00:00At just 11 years old, Lachlan James-Hopman entered the care system for the first time.
00:10Hell, it was the worst experience of my life.
00:17He spent 11 months without an education and was moved around emergency accommodation nine
00:22times in a single year, including a hotel so unhygienic he woke up to cockroaches in
00:28his bed.
00:30I was crying and a worker came in and told me to quiet down because they were trying
00:37to get sleep.
00:39A final report into the alternative care arrangements in NSW found they're not suitable or appropriate
00:45environments for children and young people who are often under the supervision of unqualified
00:50labour hires.
00:52We also heard about a number of children and young people who had been disconnected with
00:55education, didn't have access to their health supports and weren't connected to their family
00:59and their friends.
01:00I was abused as a child but having my mental health completely break and having no hope
01:08at all, that's what did the most damage.
01:12The system was what truly put me down.
01:16As of March this year, there were 433 children in high cost emergency arrangements, including
01:23in alternative care, more than 50% of whom are Indigenous and almost 50% who have a disability.
01:31While they set up as a last resort, most were in the short term settings for more than three
01:35months, some were in them for almost two years.
01:40The Families and Communities Minister, Kate Washington, says the report confirms the child
01:44protection system is broken and in need of reform.
01:47The report recommends alternative care arrangements cease and more pay and training for volunteer
01:52foster carers.
01:53It also says an independent complaints and oversight mechanism is needed.
01:58We have an out of home care system that is tantamount to child abuse.
02:05While he still has distrust in the system, Lachlan remains hopeful for what's to come.
02:10I have made significant improvements to my mental health.
02:15I've made connections and friends that I wasn't able to have before.
02:19And it's a future he wants others in care to have too.