Youth crime Qld: 100 living in resi-care alongside vulnerable children

More than 100 of the state’s most serious youth offenders are living in care alongside thousands of vulnerable children left to languish in a billion-dollar industry.

A police vehicle outside a residential care home

• 30k cases: Sector in crisis

More than 100 of the state’s most serious youth offenders are living in care alongside thousands of vulnerable children left to languish in a billion-dollar industry.

The shocking numbers came as Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm on Sunday announced a commission of inquiry into the child safety system to uncover failings within the sector, potential corruption and the damage caused to children.

But industry bodies have warned they expect action, and not another review with recommendations which take a decade to implement.

The inquiry’s scope will also include the connection between young offenders and their life in care to determine the failures of policy, process and practice that led them to a life of crime.

As of September last year, 388 serious repeat offenders (SROs) aged between 10 and 17 years old were in Queensland – 111 of those lived in state care.

Ms Camm said the inquiry was a crucial moment in time to “make serious generational changes” to the child safety system.

“We often hear of the crime vortex caused by young offenders living in residential care, where they cause others they live with to follow them into criminal behaviours and it is important to investigate and further understand how the system has played a part in that,” Ms Camm said.

Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm announces a commission of inquiry with Premier David Crisafulli on Sunday. Picture: David Clark

The majority of the state’s SROs live in North Queensland (84), followed by South East (79), Far North Queensland (75), South West (71), Brisbane and Moreton (47), and Sunshine Coast and Central (32).

Of those, 111 live in out-of-home care including 27 in North Queensland, 20 in South East, 20 in South West, 23 in Far North Queensland, 11 in Brisbane and Moreton, and 10 in Sunshine Coast and Central.

More than half of all the state’s youth crime is committed by these SROs.

There are also 222 children in care who cross over with the youth justice system – an increase from 187 children in 2015.

According to the Children in Care Census Report, 67 per cent of those children with youth justice orders had been in care for longer than five years, and 77 per cent had more than four placements.

Shockingly, 40 per cent had attempted suicide, and 56 per cent had self-harmed.

Ms Camm said these kids had been let down.

“I am committed to enacting impressive, inspirational change and reforming a system that is broken, otherwise we will lose another generation in a cycle of crime and despair.”

The inquiry will be run by Victorian Federal Court Judge Paul Anastassiou, who is expected to travel around the state to hear from stakeholders, staff, and children living in residential care.

The terms of reference of the inquiry are broad, and will also include looking at significant child death cases to identity where failings have occurred.

PeakCare CEO Tom Allsop said the inquiry was long overdue, but urged the government to learn from previous mistakes.

“It will quickly become clear through the Inquiry that the challenges in Queensland are not a result of the absence of knowing what is needed to create a better system, it is an enduring and entrenched lack of meaningful action by successive governments on the things we know will make the biggest difference,” Mr Allsop said.

Labor frontbencher Shannon Fentiman, a former child safety minister, said the Opposition would work co-operatively and collaboratively with the inquiry.

She dismissed Ms Camm’s claims the former government abandoned children.

“We worked very closely with Foster Care Queensland committing millions of dollars in recruitment campaigns - in 2023-24 we saw an increase in the amount of foster carers,” Ms Fentiman said.

The inquiry will begin on July 1, with public hearings expected to begin later this year.

A full report from the inquiry is expected in November next year, with interim reports being completed after six months and any urgent recommendations made where necessary.

Originally published as Youth crime Qld: 100 living in resi-care alongside vulnerable children