Department for Child Protection mismanagement claims over a cut – then reinstatement – of funds

A war of words has unfolded after the government was accused of mismanaging the Department for Child Protection over changes to funding.

The government has been accused of mismanaging the Department for Child Protection over a cut – then the reinstatement – of funding in recent budget updates.

But the minister responsible says there has been “significant investment” in child protection – and no budget cut.

The Mid-Year Budget Review, handed down this week, included an extra $130m “to support the number of children and young people in care”.

Opposition child protection spokesman Josh Teague said the funding followed a budget blowout of nearly $70m in the last financial year, and a $63m funding cut in the June state budget.

Josh Teague said the funding change was “astonishing” NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard denied any budget cuts.

“It’s truly astonishing that only six months after cutting funding to (the department), the government has been forced to recommit an additional $130m,” he said

Mr Teague said mismanagement of the system has had “devastating consequences” – with the latest figures showing that more than one in four calls to the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL) are going unanswered.

Call wait times have also blown out from 11 minutes and 34 seconds in June 2024, to 15 minutes and 33 seconds in October 2024.

“The report line is the only place to report serious concerns of harm, injury, neglect or death of South Australia’s most vulnerable children, the continuing deterioration of

this service is a serious cause for concern,” he said.

“(The department) has become a billion dollar agency under Labor, yet outcomes for the children and young people it is meant to protect, have not improved.”

Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard refuted the claims.

“There have been no budget cuts – rather there has been significant state government investment into the child protection and family support system which clearly the Liberals do not support,” she said.

“They should reveal what they would cut from the system. Once again, Josh Teague is demonstrating his complete lack of understanding about the child protection and family support system and how it works and these nonsensical comments point again to the Liberals’ lack of any meaningful policy in this space.

“Josh Teague has already shown how disinterested he is in the substance of Child Protection amongst his four shadow portfolios — and has already flagged quitting the portfolio after being appointed as Vincent Tarzia’s deputy.”

Despite increased demand at the CARL call centre, wait times are now lower than their peak of 21 minutes under the Liberals in October 2019.