Indigenous kids seized from Sydney-based Indigenous child protection service

Children in the care of a Sydney-based Indigenous child protection service have been removed from its care following concerns about its operations, including an allegation a staff member was forced to sleep on a mattress that smelt of urine.

Children in the care of a Sydney-based Indigenous child protection service have been removed from its care following concerns about its operations, including an allegation a staff member was forced to sleep on a mattress that smelt of urine.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) this week took the ­dramatic step of taking over the care of nine children ­currently being looked after by the provider.

Three separate investigations are under way into the service, which follow staff complaints, practice concerns, staffing levels and invoicing ­irregularities.

The children – who are aged between two and 12 years – will remain in place in the four separate households they have been living in while the investigations by DCJ, SafeWork NSW and the Office of the Children’s Guardian into the out-of-home-care provider (OOHC) take place.

Staff from alternate accredited care agencies have been brought in to look after the children.

In the past year, the service received an estimated $4 million in funding from the state government.

Part of the DCJ investigation is in relation to invoicing irregularities, with the department understood to be alleging the organisation charged for services it did not provide and for staff that did not exist.

Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE: Monique Harmer

It is understood the organisation also registered with the government as a “not for profit” provider but has since ­established a “for profit” arm of the business.

The department will allege the “for profit” arm sent invoices to the department.

The investigation also followed complaints by staff – many who are Indigenous – to the Australian Services Union, including a claim clean bedding was not being provided.

It is understood one staff member alleged they were being forced to sleep on a mattress that smelled of urine.

ASU branch secretary Angus McFarland would not discuss the details given the investigations under way, but said it was important for the government to ensure “for profit” organisations were ­removed from the sector.

“There should be no place for profit making in the child protection system,” he said.

“In our experience as the union for NGO workers, any contracting to for-profit providers always comes at the expense of quality, safety and workers’ pay and conditions.

“Vulnerable children and young people deserve the highest quality care and support provided by highly skilled and trained workers who are paid properly for the work they do.”

A spokesman for SafeWork NSW said its inspectors were making inquiries.

“SafeWork NSW received a request for service in July 2025 regarding work health and safety issues at provider,” the spokesman said.

The Minns government has been trying to fix the troubled OOHC sector since coming to power, with a report released last year finding the system was “not fit for purpose” and failing to meet the needs of children and young people.

Families and Communities Minister Kate Washington said she was unable to comment about specific providers.

“We are reforming the broken system we inherited, and we have high expectations of providers,” she said. “If those standards aren’t met, they won’t be delivering services any longer.”

The provider was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Indigenous kids seized from Sydney-based Indigenous child protection service