Former foster child's NDIS plan didn't prepare him for adulthood

Coby spends almost all of his time on his computer, either playing games or writing code.

It's the only place where the 19-year-old feels safe and content.

But while his computer skills are improving rapidly, his independent living skills need work.

"I want to get more skills at cooking, money handling … I'm wasting my money on stupid things."

Coby has level two autism, ADHD and an intellectual disability; he needs to be prompted to prepare food for himself and take medication.

He lived with foster carers until just before his 18th birthday, when he was relocated into a supported independent living house in suburban Hobart where he lives with two others.

"I get the help and support that I need … I know most of the workers that come, I get along with them," Coby said.

"If I had to move, my mental health wouldn't be good because I would lose all of that."

But moving is something he has been forced to contemplate four times this year — including into public housing — at the suggestion of child safety.

He now fears that if he leaves the house, he won't be allowed to return.

So he stays at his computer.

Staff acknowledge support issues

Coby missed out on critical support to develop independent living skills as a teenager.

It was the responsibility of the Child Safety Services to ensure Coby's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan included this as he prepared to transition to adulthood, but his plan changed very little from age 10 to 17.

The NDIS plan is how these supports would have been funded.

Child Safety workers and support staff recognised this issue, in emails sent to his foster parents, and seen by the ABC:

"… I am sorry that [a review] has not occurred for three years … his needs would definitely be different to what they were three years ago"

"… the plan has been rolled over multiple times with limited updates, resulting in outdated goals and potentially misaligned funding allocations"

"… completely out of whack with his current wants and needs"

There were also severe funding and resource constraints, which child safety workers said limited their ability to respond to his foster carers' concerns:

"… unfortunately the ongoing lack of resourcing in [Child Safety Services] and [Out of Home Care] makes it very difficult for us to respond quickly … there are so many demands on our time"

"… [Out of Home Care] isn't currently able to offer much proactive support for carers"

"… [Child Safety Services] acknowledged the frequency of visits had decreased due to … a shared care management model and staffing numbers being lower than normal at present"

His foster carers feared what would happen when Coby turned 18, after their calls for supports in his NDIS plan did not eventuate.

They received a government form to sign, which stated the department would no longer be his legal guardian when he turned 18, and that it "does not have any legal responsibility for the young adult".

Coby was moved into supported independent living — but his housing issues were far from resolved.

Case manager raised 'couch surfing' as an option

While waiting to see if his new living arrangement would get NDIS funding and approval from the provider, Coby started to receive offers of other housing from government agencies.

Two of these were for public housing, where he would get about four hours of care support a day.

He rejected them.

"They think they're trying to help me by wanting me to live on my own, when I've learnt nothing,"

Coby said.

His rejection prompted an email to his foster parents from his case coordinator, who had been engaged by Child Safety through a non-government organisation:

"I have asked he consider his options for accommodation — your home, shelter or couch surfing," they wrote.

But Coby's choice was backed up by multiple reports from concerned medical practitioners.

One wrote that he needed 24-hour supervision until he gained critical independent living skills.

"Without this he will be taken advantage of, engage in unsafe, unhealthy and eventually criminal practices," they wrote.

Another report strongly urged that he remain in the supported independent living house.

"[He requires] structure, consistent staffing, and trauma-informed supports to maintain his safety, participation, and wellbeing," it reads.

A report this year questioned why the other medical practitioner reports had not been fully followed.

"… such an attitude can place him at risk of harm which can be seen as neglect," it reads.

Some of these reports were provided to the department before it decided to offer him public housing.

Coby to stay for now, but can't trust agencies

Coby's NDIS plan was ultimately updated to allow him to stay at the supported living home until 2028.

But the uncertainty over his housing and the way his support has been managed has left him distrustful of government agencies, and he no longer returns their phone calls.

Changes to NDIS eligibility have created new concerns for his future, particularly if he has to live independently in a few years.

It could make it more difficult for him to receive more than a few hours of support per day.

His former foster parents said if Child Safety Services had "followed the NDIS guidelines and started to do the appropriate assessments for adult needs at 16 years … we wouldn't be here today with this issue".

The family was asked to send a list of grievances to the department, and received a response that "there was no mismanagement of his [NDIS] funding", with further apologies for issues they faced as carers.

Coby is not the only foster child in Tasmania who has faced significant uncertainty during the transition to adulthood, Foster and Kinship Carers Association Tasmania (KFAT) chief executive officer Kim Backhouse said.

"It's disappointing to learn that a foster carer placement with a young adult broke down through poor planning on behalf of the department around a complex matter," she said.

"The transition should have occurred way earlier in the journey, or support should have been put in place for him to be able to stay with foster parents by the government up until at least 21 years of age.

"There is a gap in supports to transition young adults from Out of Home Care to the NDIS system in terms of their wellbeing."

Department says funding has been increased

The Child Safety Services faced extensive scrutiny in 2021 during Tasmania's commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse in institutional settings.

Commissioners described "chronic underfunding" in children and families services as limiting its ability to carry out its role.

"One systemic issue that appeared to be causing harm was the unrealistic caseloads that frontline staff have to manage," its final report reads.

Tasmanian Greens MP Cecily Rosol, who is a foster carer, said that such a situation had resulted in a young person's needs being "pushed aside" and expert advice "being ignored".

A Tasmanian department spokesperson said the children and youth system — which includes youth justice services — received $150 million in new funding in the last state budget.

As part of that funding, three disability service navigator roles have been funded.

The spokesperson said planning for adulthood "occurs well before young people in Out of Home Care turn 18", and departmental staff play "an important role" in advocating for NDIS supports.

The ABC asked the department about whether public housing, with some NDIS-funded carer visits, is seen as a potential outcome for former foster children with disability.

"Young people leaving care have different needs and goals. There is no single housing model that is suitable for everyone," the spokesperson said.

"The most appropriate housing and support arrangements depend on each young person's level of independence, disability support needs, personal preferences and family, community and service connections."