‘Concerns’ Up to 39 children to be removed from child protection provider
Concerns a child protection service may not have been reporting alleged incidents to authorities has led Families and Communities Minister Kate Washington to remove 39 children from its care.
A child protection service providing shelter and food for some of the state’s most neglected and abused children has been ordered to close its homes amid concerns serious incidents may not have been reported to authorities.
It can be revealed the accreditation of residential out-of-home care provider CareSouth has been withdrawn following a performance review commenced by the Minns government.
The decision means 39 children aged between 13 and 17 years who were being cared for in “intensive therapeutic care” homes by CareSouth will have to be placed in alternative care with the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) undertaking urgent transition planning to support the affected children with other accredited providers.
Children receiving “intensive therapeutic care” are those who are recovering from the most severe forms of trauma, neglect, abuse or adversity, and are either unable to be supported in foster care or require specialised and intensive supports to maintain stability in their care arrangements.
Services which provide intensive therapeutic care are understood to be paid around $1 million per year per child.
CareSouth was offering the care as part of a permanency support program contract it was issued in 2022 by the former Coalition government.
Following findings of “extensive performance management and governance issues” by the department, a referral was made in January to the independent child safety regulator, the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG).
As a result of the OCG investigations, CareSouth’s intensive therapeutic care
residential care services were ordered to cease from December 19.
The government has been cracking down on emergency care providers, many of which have been operating without accreditation as permitted by the previous Coalition government.
Earlier this year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed the removal of nine children from the care of a Sydney-based Indigenous child protection service following concerns about its operations.
In the past year, the service received had received an estimated $4 million in funding from the government.
Under the former government, residential care services for vulnerable children could be provided by unaccredited, and for-profit, agencies.
The Minns government has since banned the use of unaccredited providers.
In 2025, DCJ recommenced the provision of its own residential care services, recently opening five Waratah Care Cottages case-managed by the department.
Families and Communities Minister Kate Washington said the government had “zero tolerance” for service providers who could not meet the standards required to care for children.
“Our absolute priority is ensuring that every child and young person affected has the support they need,” she said.
A spokesperson for CareSouth said the organisation disagreed with the department’s decision to withdraw its accreditation to look after children in intensive therapeutic care homes, and was exploring options to appeal.
It said the organisation had provided out-of-home care services for more than 30 years “and consistently maintained accreditation”.
The decision by the government does not impact CareSouth’s other services such as its broader accredited foster care program, which continues to operate.
“We are proud of the significant positive outcomes achieved for children and young people and remain committed to helping them build better futures,” the spokesperson said.
“The safety and wellbeing of the children and young people in our care remain our highest priority.
“Our policies and practices reflect this, ensuring our efforts are child-focused and tailored to deliver the best possible outcomes for each individual.”
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Originally published as ‘Concerns’ Up to 39 children to be removed from child protection provider
