Lead
A new report from Victoria's Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) has revealed that 35 children who died in the state had been the subject of hundreds of child protection referrals, with the majority of those referrals closed because they were deemed not to be at significant risk. The findings, outlined in the CCYP's 'Left Behind' report, paint a picture of a system under overwhelming pressure, where children repeatedly fell through the cracks.
Coverage Comparison
Coverage of the report in two major outlets, ABC Australia and The Guardian, converged on the central narrative of systemic failure, though each brought its own focus. ABC Australia emphasized the 'grim' findings of the report, highlighting that the commission found children were 'falling through the cracks' due to overwhelming pressure and that family services met only one-third of demand last year. The Guardian, while also critical, delved into broader systemic issues, citing an auditor general's report released a day earlier that found child protection work had been hampered by delayed, inaccurate and incomplete data. The Guardian also noted declining numbers of foster carers and that Victoria's carer payments are the lowest in Australia.
Key Claims
Thirty-five children who died in Victoria were the subject of hundreds of child protection referrals, the majority of which were closed at intake or investigation. According to the CCYP report, the 35 children had an average of eight reports each, with a combined 267 referrals. Of those, 237 were closed, with most assessments concluding that the children were not at significant risk or did not require a statutory response.
'Multiple re-reports for all children and young people concerned suggest that reports were closed prematurely and/or the service system was unable to engage or support the family to make a consistent positive change,' the report stated.
The most common causes of death among the 35 children were accidents such as drowning or house fires, suicide, and illness. Aboriginal children were overrepresented, and 23% of the children had a disability or complex medical needs.
'These deaths were preventable. They were seen, reported, referred, and left behind,' said Janise Mitchell, chief executive of the Australian Childhood Foundation, as reported by ABC Australia. 'Today's report must be a line in the sand. Victoria cannot keep asking children to pay the price for a system that is not working.'
Perspectives
The CCYP's report, tabled in parliament, called on the Victorian government to increase funding for children's services, including counselling and family violence services, and to better tailor these services to children's needs. The commission also raised concerns about cycles of ineffective referrals to voluntary services.
The state's commissioner for children and young people, Tracy Beaton, stressed the need for change, telling The Guardian: 'The commission has continued to see report after report to child protection with ultimately no improvement in the lives of children and young people. That needs to change.'
An auditor general's report, released a day before the CCYP's findings, added another layer of concern. It found that child protection services have long been hamstrung by delayed, inaccurate and incomplete data, which impeded workers' ability to make informed decisions, monitor placements, and deliver effective services. Despite previous reports identifying these issues, the department's funding requests to address them had been unsuccessful, according to The Guardian.
The reports also highlighted the strain on alternative care arrangements. The number of foster carers is declining significantly, placing increased pressure on the kinship care system, which now accounts for 81.7% of placements. Carer payments in Victoria are also the lowest in Australia, a factor The Guardian reported as contributing to the decline.
Family services, such as parental or developmental support, met only one-third of demand last year, the CCYP report said, underscoring the resource shortfall.
While neither source attributed blame to individual caseworkers, both implied that systemic issues—underfunding, data deficiencies, and high demand—were at the heart of the failures. The tone across both outlets was critical, with ABC using terms like 'grim' and The Guardian describing the system as 'failing' vulnerable children, but both were grounded in the official reports and quotes from officials and advocates.
The Victorian government has yet to respond publicly to the reports, though the findings are likely to intensify pressure for reform in the state's child protection system.