From February,the fostering allowance will be extended to age 21,following concern teenagers were being left without support when they aged out of care.
The biggest challenge in helping the homeless in Sydney is stopping them from drifting back to the street due to habit,loneliness,addiction or mental illness.
The government pushed to get homeless people into housing during the pandemic,showing “it can be done”,but now rough sleeping is increasing again.
Despite falls in teenage pregnancy,there are still more than 1000 first-time mothers under the age of 20 each year,and they are more likely to be disadvantaged and need help.
Brendan Thomas spent his career improving justice outcomes for Aboriginal people. Now he’s driving several of the NSW government’s key Closing the Gap measures.
The cluster linked to the privately run Parklea prison in Sydney’s north-west has grown to 80 – 77 inmates and three staff members – but authorities are hopeful the infection has not spread to other facilities with transferred prisoners.
A report criticises the state government for declaring “case closed” for children reported at risk of serious harm without a caseworker even making face-to-face contact.
Bureaucrats have warned that job cuts are the only way to implement the NSW government's"efficiency dividends"of $174 million.
The Wayside Chapels conducts funerals for the homeless who use its services. On Monday more than 120 people said goodbye to the much loved Steve McGlashan who had been visiting the Wayside since he ran away from institutional care nearly 50 years ago.
Many teenagers in foster care view their 18th birthday"not with happiness but with dread"because that's when the state guardian cuts off support.
For years I asked children about their feelings. Or I supported my peers to do so.