Thursday, 22 February 2024

Ministers statements: Kids Under Cover

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:11): I rise today to talk about Kids Under Cover, a long-running not-for-profit organisation that is dedicated to supporting at-risk and vulnerable young people and preventing youth homelessness. They get kids under cover by building relocatable studios in the backyard of a family or carer’s home – think portable granny flats but designed for young people.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit one of these studios in Melbourne’s north and celebrate the delivery of Kids Under Cover’s 84th studio, an amazing achievement. I met with the Kids Under Cover CEO Stephen Nash, chair Nathaniel Popelianski and head of program Kara Briggs. These studios provide much-needed space for young people as they develop, while also keeping them close to home and connected to family. While the studios remain in place for as long as they are needed, they can also be officially relocated to help other families in need. They do not just provide extra room; they provide young people with a secure and stable environment, a space of their own – a sanctuary, if you will. This provides a crucial support for at-risk youth and can go a long way in creating the circumstances that help them get their lives on a better path. Make no mistake, that makes us all safer.

This government is proud to have invested more than $6 million into Kids Under Cover to support young people at risk of youth justice supervision to remain at home with a safe space of their own. These investments and our partnership with Kids Under Cover are just another example of how our government, the Allan Labor government, is supporting vulnerable young people and making Victoria safer for all.