Queensland Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman announces $200m plan to hire 300 new officers

ALMOST 300 new child safety officers will be hired over the next two years after Minister Shannon Fentiman announced $200 million in funding for the troubled system.

CHILDREN left vulnerable to harm from domestic violence or ice-using parents will be better protected under a $200 million plan to boost child safety officers.

In a plan an expert says will save lives and improve service in the overburdened system, almost 300 new safety officers will be hired over the next two years, which will bring down case loads and allow more focused interventions, according to Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman.

“That means better response times for our families, it means better engagement with families and it means better protection for children who are at risk,” she said.

“We are making this huge investment to support our frontline staff.”

The announcement comes as rates of domestic violence are increasing, with Ms Fentiman also saying about a third of children needing protection in the past year had a parent who was using the drug ice.

“The work is getting harder, we are spending more time with families, that’s why we need more child safety hitting the ground to keep our kids safe,” she said.

About $7.5 million will be used to help families harmed by ice addiction.

“We want to make sure support is there for families so they can get the facts, develop strategies and find out where to access help and support,” Ms Fentiman said.

The State Opposition called the plan “too little too late”.

“It’s not about how much money you throw at the system, it’s about having the right people, with the right skills in the right place,” LNP child safety spokeswoman Ros Bates said.

Child safety expert Professor Karen Healy said hiring additional officers would help save lives and stop kids being removed from families.

“The system has been stretched by an increasing number of children coming into care,” she said.

The government will speak with experts across the state as they determine where to send the workers but Ms Fentiman indicated they would focus on areas with heavy ice use.