Juvenile placement services scattered through Qld suburbia

Millions have been poured into more than 300 juvenile care houses across the state, with many tucked away in quiet suburbs. SEE THE MAP

Millions of dollars has been poured into more than 300 juvenile care houses across the state, many tucked away in quiet suburbs including where the alleged killer of a North Lakes mother was arrested.

According to Queensland Government data, 328 placement services were funded in the 2021-22 financial year, including 277 residential care facilities which were funded more than $182 million.

These facilities house children with “complex” needs between 12 and 18 years old, but they’ve been widely criticised as a halfway house for kids released from detention centres.

Staff at the facilities are often abused, juveniles free to leave whenever they please, and the facilities have been criticised as a place where seasoned criminals teach young, vulnerable children their ways.

There are dozens of residential facilities in regions like Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich, with many more scattered in Townsville, Gold Coast, Mount Isa, Cairns and across small suburbs throughout the state.

According to the data, 24 facilities were funded in Brisbane, 39 in Logan, 32 in Gold Coast, 28 in Ipswich, 13 in Townsville, 24 in Cairns, 13 in Rockhampton, 11 in Moreton Bay, and many more.

In suburbia, Gracemere and Coomera topped the list for the most amount of facilities funded in one area, with eight each.

Townview in Mount Isa received funding for four facilities, White Rock near Cairns recorded five, Kirwan in Townsville recorded four, and Bargara near Bundaberg also recorded four.

The data shows some of the facilities were funded more than $1 million in the last financial year on multi-year deals.

The data also states that 34 supported independent living facilities were funded, which houses young people under 18 who are in the process of transitioning to adulthood.

Emma Lovell’s alleged teenage killer was arrested at one of the supported independent living houses in North Lakes.

That particular facility, run by a company with 24 other care houses across the state, was funded more than $400,000 in the last financial year.

Thirteen safe houses and four therapeutic residential care houses were also funded across the state.

The out-of-home-care houses are supposed to help children who have no other support.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Children said it cost about $824 per night, or $300,000 a year, to run one out-of-home-care house.

They said the number of Queensland children in care rose to more than 11,000 as of June this year.

“Every child or young person needs different levels of support, which is why a range of services exist to respond to those,” the spokeswoman said.

“The costs per placement for this type of accommodation vary greatly, and the number of homes used for this purpose, and the hours and support provided by staff, fluctuates in line with the individual needs of young people.”

The data also included an additional 161 foster and kinship care facilities.

Originally published as Juvenile placement services scattered through Qld suburbia