Child Safety Department forced to ask Treasury for top-up after $70m budget blowout

The department tasked with protecting Queensland’s most vulnerable kids has gone cap in hand to Treasury amid a massive budget black hole.

THE Child Safety Department is headed for a $70 million budget blowout this financial year, forcing its director-general to ask for a top-up from Treasury.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Michael Hogan was forced to request an increase to his already $1.3 billion annual budget during the Government’s mid-year review, and the department’s financial position is now under careful watch.

Kids endangered by push to reunite families: Bravehearts

One Queensland child referred to DOCS every four minutes

The Palaszczuk Government has refused to give details of Child Safety officers found to have acted corruptly

Child Safety Minister Di Farmer has blamed a surge in kids needing protection for her department’s budget woes - 92,000 children were known to the department and more than 121,000 calls were received last year — but the Opposition says the Government aren’t doing enough to address the root causes of neglect and abuse.

Queensland Minister for Child Safety Di Farmer

“Despite the record investment, our system faces increasing pressure, with demand increasing,” Ms Farmer said.

“We receive a call every four minutes about a child suspected of being at risk of harm and there is increasing complexity in the family situations we are dealing with.”

That included dealing with parents on ice, with the drug now a major factor in 38 per cent of cases where a child must be taken into care – a 30 per cent increase in just two years.

“Let me be clear, this Government will not turn any child away if we believe they need to come into care,” she said.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the increase in reports was concerning, and the Government had serious questions to answer.

“Protecting kids is an absolute priority so Labor must find the money the department needs,” she said.

“Only last week it was revealed that 6,400 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect were not addressed on time, including 126 of the most serious reports,” she said.

Ms Frecklington said the Government must do more to tackle the root causes of problems, and should start with better addressing ice use because “failing to address the root causes is putting children at risk”.

It’s not the first time the department’s budget’s blown out, with extra funding sought in 2017-18 as well.

The department is now examining how it can cut costs to avoid further blowouts ahead of this year’s State Budget, but won’t change plans to hire additional staff.

In 2018-19, around 92,000 children are known to the department and more than 121,000 calls were received raising concerns about under 18s.

There’s been an extra 1400 children in care over the past five years and a 10 per cent increase in the most urgent cases that require a 24-hour response.