The Queensland Government has released its response to the landmark Child Safety Commission of Inquiry, accepting 32 of the Inquiry’s 52 recommendations in full and 16 in principle.
The Government also noted two recommendations, and identified two recommendations for further consideration, agreeing with Commissioner Paul Anastassiou KC that significant change is needed to restore the child safety system’s purpose and focus on the safety and wellbeing of children.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity, Deb Frecklington said the Government was committed to delivering the reforms needed to make Queensland kids in care safer.
“The Commission of Inquiry made it clear that too many children were failed by Labor’s broken child safety system, with vulnerable Queenslanders let down when they needed protection most,” the Attorney-General said.
“Queenslanders expect action, and that is exactly what this Government is delivering – because keeping children safe must always be our highest priority.”
The response includes five key areas of focus:
- Restoring the “best interest of the child” as the paramount consideration in decisions;
- Delivering early intervention and addressing the root causes of harm;
- Establishing pathways to stable relationships and permanent homes;
- Streamlining child litigation proceedings and the role of the courts to protect children;
- Delivering a fit for purpose legislative framework.
The Commission of Inquiry exposed widespread systemic failures developed over many years, including an explosion in the use of residential care and alarming levels of harm and sexual abuse experienced by children in care.
The Inquiry found repeated warnings to the Department dating back to 2020 were ignored, allowing serious issues to worsen and vulnerable children to be left at risk.
It uncovered that children were being returned to dangerous situations where they were being exposed to sexual abuse, because safety was not the paramount consideration.
The Government’s response sets out a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at delivering a child safety system that protects children, supports families and provides stable, permanent homes for children who cannot safely live with their parents.
Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Amanda Camm said the Government’s response was a line in the sand on delivering the change required to make children safer.
“Today is the first step in what will be a challenging process to fix a broken system so children and young people can depend on a government that will keep them safe,” Minister Camm said.
“From today the Crisafulli Government will begin the task of rebuilding the child safety system and drive change that vulnerable children, young people and families deserve.
“We can never promise the realities of cases we’re dealing with won’t continue to be challenging, but they are challenges we must rise to.
“Our Government’s responses will include action being taken immediately through to delivery timeframes of ongoing, three, six, 12, 18 and 30 months.”
Key reforms include:
- Putting the safety of children first, ensuring every decision made by the Department and the Court is in the best interest of the child;
- Prioritising adoption and foster care for stable and permanent homes for children who can’t live safely with their parents, with a focus on boosting the adoption rate and reducing the number of children in Residential Care;
- Delivering the promised 20% uplift in child safety officers to properly support vulnerable children;
- Piloting professional foster care for children with complex needs to ensure they receive the support they need;
- Using the newly-established Child Safety Cabinet Committee to oversee legislative reform to ensure the changes are reflected in Queensland law;
- Providing better support for foster carers and kinship carers to encourage more permanent and stable care options;
- Bringing SecureCare online to provide a care option for young people who are a danger to themselves and to the community;
- Delivering Residential Care Repair, with dual carers, greater supervision and care, and removing children under five.
Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Multiculturism, Fiona Simpson said the reforms would put the Child Safety system focus back on the best interests of the child.
“These reforms are focused on protecting the best interests of every Queensland child, just as they should be,” Minister Simpson said.
“These reforms will also include prioritising early intervention and prevention, as well as stability and permanency.
“It is vitally important that we work in the best interests of the child and in partnership with communities and families to achieve a safer future for children impacted by broken families and a broken system.”
PeakCare Queensland Chief Executive Officer Kelly Jebb said evidence points towards children being more likely to do better in family-based environments, especially for very young children.
“The sector stands ready and willing to work alongside government to implement reforms that improve outcomes for children and families,” she said.
Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak Chief Executive Officer, Phil Brooks said QATSICPP welcomes reforms that strengthen the authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations to support families.
“We look forward to working in partnership with government to implement these reforms and uphold the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, which retain culturally-safe decision-making and better outcomes for our children,” he said.
Queensland Foster and Kinship Care Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Smith said the Commission of Inquiry made it clear that Queensland must reduce its reliance on residential care and rebuild a system centred on family-based care.
“I am pleased to see the government’s response focuses on strengthening pathways into foster and kinship care, improving assessment processes to attract more carers, and ensuring more vulnerable children can grow up in safe, stable family environments where they have the best opportunity to thrive,” he said.
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