Lead

Almost 3,000 children were in residential care in Queensland in March, a new record high, according to data released alongside the state government's response to the commission of inquiry into child safety. The 11-month inquiry found no child had been adopted from state care since 2019 and made 52 recommendations to shift the focus to family-based care. The government has accepted 32 of those recommendations in full, as reported by ABC Australia.

Coverage comparison

Reporting by ABC Australia has detailed the government's response to the child safety inquiry, highlighting both the increase in children in residential care and the challenges faced by young people leaving the system. The coverage includes the government's acceptance of a majority of the inquiry's recommendations, as well as concerns raised by Queensland's Family and Child Commissioner about the lack of support for 18-year-olds transitioning out of state care.

Key claims

  • Almost 3,000 children were in residential care in Queensland in March, a new record high, up from more than 2,200 in the previous year, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • There was an increase in children under five in the system, with 107 children under five in residential care in March, up from 78 the previous year, according to the same report.
  • The 11-month inquiry into child safety found no child had been adopted from state care since 2019, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • The inquiry made 52 recommendations to shift the focus to family-based care, with the government accepting 32 of them in full, according to ABC Australia.
  • Minister Amanda Camm committed to removing all children under five from residential care, saying the peak of 2,819 children in residential care recorded under her tenure would be the high point, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • Response times to urgent child safety matters declined, with over 10% of matters not commenced within 24 hours, and just over 4% of matters requiring a response in a week met that benchmark, according to ABC Australia.
  • The government budgeted $200 million to implement the changes recommended by the inquiry, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • One in three Australian children experience homelessness within the first year of leaving state care, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare cited in ABC Australia reporting.
  • As of last March, there were 780 children in out-of-home care who were 'self-placing', meaning they were not staying at their approved placements, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • Allegations have been made of children in care being sexually exploited by adults in 'trap houses', according to ABC Australia reporting.

Perspectives

Family and Child Commissioner Luke Twyford

Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Luke Twyford described the situation for children leaving state care as "profoundly upsetting." He said, "What are we doing for these children raised in state care and then exited into homelessness, and unemployment and other unmet needs?" He added, "We're not doing okay by these children. We need to do far more."

Minister Amanda Camm

Minister for Child Safety and Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm committed to reducing the number of children in residential care, calling the record high a "line in the sand." She said, "That is the line in the sand, and that is my message to Queenslanders, and it's also why we have embarked upon an ambitious recruitment process for foster and kinship carers across this state." Regarding response times, she expressed confidence in her department while acknowledging room for improvement. She refused to answer questions about the experience of a young person who had been in care, walking away from an interview, as reported by ABC Australia.

Young person in care

Zoey, a teenager who has been in care since she was a baby and exited care on her 18th birthday four months ago, described her life as "pretty chaotic" since leaving residential care. She said she was pregnant and had lost the baby, and is now couch surfing while waiting for alternative housing after the apartment she was given through the NDIS became unsafe. She alleged she had been recovering from a violent relationship before leaving care.