Head, Heart and Home: Key steps to build a better WA for all - State Election 2021 social policy ...
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Head, Heart and Home: Key steps to build a better WA for all Anglicare WA’s 2021 State Election Social Policy Recommendations
Social policy
recommendations
Why Head, Heart and Home?
Anglicare WA has extensive experience supporting people in financial hardship and
recovering from trauma. We know well the links between mental health (Head),
positive relationships (Heart) and secure housing and finances (Home).
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the economic and social wellbeing of
our communities. We have seen negative changes in social indicators, including
rates of domestic and family violence, mental health, child protection, and housing.
Yet, we have also seen social connectedness grow on a global and local scale,
alongside rapid innovation and adoption of new technologies for good. The use of
digital tools is also changing the way we deliver social services.
The recovery will require strong social policies to address the challenges ahead, take
advantage of positive developments and ultimately deliver better social outcomes.
Decisions made at the State Election will have an impact for years to come.
We are calling on all political parties to commit to improving the lives of Western
Australians by prioritising:
Social housing and rent Investing in social and affordable housing to
support address social need and provide economic
stimulus
Homelessness Strategy Investing in homelessness services and Housing
and Housing First First approaches
Out-of-home Care and Providing greater support for young people within
Leaving Care and leaving out of home care
Family and Domestic Reducing family and domestic violence through
Violence men’s behaviour change initiatives and increased
support for children exposed to violence
Community mental Providing preventative and community mental
health health initiatives
Care economy jobs for Supporting ‘caring careers’ in health, education,
community wellbeing disability and community services.
2Social policy
recommendations
Social housing and rent support
Policy recommendations
• Achieve a minimum net increase of 3,000 social housing dwellings per year for the
next five years
• Retro-fit social housing for energy efficiency
• Implement private rental assistance packages for low income households
Why is this important?
• Current waitlist
14,000 people are on the waitlist for public housing, waiting an average of 2.5 years.
The waitlist is likely to get worse with the recession.
• Economic benefits
Social housing is an immediate job-creator and provides stimulus to the recovering
economy.
• Existing stock needs to be improved
Social housing stock is often energy inefficient leading to higher bills for low income
tenants. Addressing this would also be a significant action on climate change.
• Private rental market failure
Affordable housing at the lowest end of the rental market consistently remains almost
non-existent. Price drops in the overall private rental market have not been sufficient
enough to make rentals affordable for low income households.
• Lack of affordability
98% of rentals are not affordable to people on minimum wage let alone income
support payments.
3Social policy
recommendations
Homelessness Strategy and Housing First
Policy recommendations
• Invest in more Housing First approaches such as the 50 Lives 50 Homes project.
• Increase investment in existing homelessness services.
Why is this important?
• High levels of homelessness in WA
Over 9,000 West Australians experience homelessness every night. Of these:
• Over 1,000 people are sleeping rough
• Over 1,200 are under 12 years of age
• Lack of capacity within the sector
Specialist homelessness services support around 4,300 people every day across WA,
but 2 out of 3 requests for accommodation via specialist homelessness services are
currently unable to be met.
• Increased risks to people experiencing homelessness
5% of rough sleepers report being a victim of assault since becoming homeless.
• Drivers of homelessness
The top reasons for people seeking homelessness services were:
Cause Percentage
Family and domestic violence 42%
Financial difficulties 38%
Housing crisis 25%
NB. Figures do not total 100% as some people experienced multiple factors
4Social policy
recommendations
Out-of-home Care and Leaving Care
Policy recommendations
• Introduce a legislated commitment to fund extended care arrangements to young
people up to the age of 21 who are transitioning from out-of-home care. This includes
both ‘Staying On Agreements’ - funded extensions of foster care to 21 – and a
commitment to higher levels of support up to the age of 21.
• Establish a mandatory accreditation scheme and independent oversight of the
delivery of Out-of-home care (OOHC) services in WA.
Why is this important?
• Levelling the playing field
The child protection system begins preparing a young person to leave care as early
as 15 years, with most leaving their care placement at 16 or 17. In comparison,
children residing with one or both parents are remaining at home longer, being
supported as they transition to adulthood.
• Responsibilities of the State parent
We have removed these young people from their families to protect them and keep
them safe into adulthood. As the corporate parents of these children it is our task to
finish the job.
• Reducing the risk of homelessness
A high proportion of care leavers end up homeless, in the criminal justice system,
unemployed or a new parent within the first year of leaving care. Where care is
extended until the age of 21 education participation doubles and homelessness rates
are halved.
• WA signed up to Royal Commission recommendations
The 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
recommended mandatory accreditation of OOHC service providers.
• Commissioner for Children and Young People’s track record
The CCYP’s statutory purpose and organisational experience makes it the obvious
body to provide OOHC accreditation and oversight.
5Social policy
recommendations
Family and Domestic Violence
Policy recommendations
• Fund community-based family safety and support hubs in all of the State’s regions
that offer: voluntary men’s behaviour change programs; recovery and rebuilding
programs for women; and children's specific treatment services.
• Specialist programs are required for women, men, children, victims, and perpetrators
with easy access to specialist health services like alcohol and other drug treatment
services and mental health services.
• Create additional residential men’s facilities in regional centres throughout WA.
Why is this important?
• Preventing long term effects
For children and adolescents experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence, the
impacts can be serious and long-lasting, affecting all domains of their lives, health,
wellbeing, education, relationships, and housing security. 1.5 million women and
992,000 men have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse before the age of 15
years.
• Working with perpetrators
Men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators of violence in domestic relationships.
• Introducing preventative measures
Family and Domestic Violence is an under-reported and often hidden crime so
prevention is essential.
• Filling a gap
There are insufficient services for men who are seeking to change.
• More regional support
WA regions are poorly serviced despite clear need.
6Social policy
recommendations
Community mental health
Policy recommendations
• Increase investment in prevention and community support over 5 years, in line with
the Better Choices, Better Lives: WA Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services
Plan 2015-2025, specifically:
• Increase spending in prevention from 1 per cent to 5 per cent of total mental
health spend.
• Increase investment in community support by five-fold.
Why is this important?
• Increased support needed after COVID-19
The pandemic tested the limits of WA’s already over-stretched mental health system
as demand for non-clinical community support and prevention services increased.
The economic impacts of COVID-19 mean the mental health crisis is not over.
• Predicted rise in demand
National modelling predicts a 10% increase in emergency department presentations,
a 12% increase in hospitalisation for self-harm, and a 14% increase in the national
suicide rate.
• Meeting recommendations
The WA Mental Health Plan recommends optimal investment in prevention of 6% of
mental health spend (currently 1%) and 22% of spending on community support
(currently down to 5%).
7Social policy
recommendations
Care economy jobs for community wellbeing
Policy recommendations
• Direct investment in industries where there is clear unmet and growing need such as
disability, community services and aged care.
• Co-design ‘caring careers’ pathways with community services sector through
apprenticeships and traineeships, subsidised TAFE courses and graduate programs.
• Provide tailored support integrated with the Commonwealth’s jobactive network
Why is this important?
• Healthcare and social assistance- a growth industry
The care economy is the largest employing sector in WA and is projected to grow
faster than any other area of the economy over the next five years.
• The multiplier effect
The number of jobs created for the amount of money spent is far greater for the care
industries than for construction.
Job creation per $1m government spend:
Construction Education
Direct jobs created – women 0.2 10.6
Direct jobs created – men 1 4.3
• Community health and wellbeing
In addition to the economic benefits, jobs in the care sector improve the health
and wellbeing of communities, create strong bonds within communities, and build
capability and resilience of our most precious asset - our people.
8Social policy
recommendations
Summary
12 steps to build a better WA for all
• Achieve a minimum net increase of 3,000 social housing dwellings per year for the
next five years.
• Retro-fit existing social housing for energy efficiency.
• Implement private rental assistance packages for low income households.
• Invest in more Housing First approaches such as the 50 Lives 50 Homes project.
• Increase investment in existing homelessness services.
• Introduce a legislated commitment to resourcing extended care arrangements until
21 for young people in out-of-home care.
• Establish a mandatory accreditation scheme and independent oversight of the
delivery of Out-of-home care (OOHC) services in WA.
• Implement funded community-based family safety and support hubs in all of the
State’s regions that offer: voluntary men’s behaviour change programs; recovery and
rebuilding programs for women; and children's specific treatment services.
• Increase investment in prevention and community support over 5 years, in line with
the Better Choices, Better Lives: WA Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services
Plan 2015-2025.
• Invest directly in industries where there is clear unmet and growing need such as
disability, community services and aged care.
• Co-design ‘caring careers’ pathways with the community services sector.
• Provide tailored support integrated with the jobactive network.
Find out more
For more detail, contact the Research, Advocacy and Prevention Team at
Anglicare WA. Email: advocacy@anglicarewa.org.au or Tel: 08 9263 2051.
Also, see Shelter WA’s detailed, costed plans for the State election and the WA
Association of Mental Health’s detailed plans for the State election.
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