Safe house for Indigenous children to open in Yarrabah
Posted
Child Safety Minister Margaret Keech has visited far north Queensland to establish the first safe house for 'at-risk' Indigenous children.
The $140,000 facility will be set up at Yarrabah, near Cairns.
Ms Keech says children who stay at the centre will need a referral from authorities.
"These are children for who there has already been investigation by the Department for Child Safety and it's been assessed that the home's not safe so the child's been placed," she said.
"It's not children who are placing themselves or a drop-in centre."
Ms Keech says the Yarrabah safe house will be open by December.
"The safe house will have foster carers available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said.
"As well we'll have a family intervention service working from the safe house helping the families with parenting skills, budgeting, health and nutrition skills."
