Child safety Qld: 30,000 cases investigated last year

Vulnerable children in care are being put at risk by a shortage of Queensland child safety officers who can’t keep up with the number of child harm investigations in the “failing” system.

Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm

Vulnerable children in care are being put at risk by a shortage of Queensland child safety officers who can’t keep up with the number of child harm investigations in the “failing” system.

Alarming new data shows more than 30,000 cases of children being harmed, or at risk of being harmed, were investigated across Queensland last year.

But less than a third of those reports (31.2 per cent) were ­investigated on time.

It comes as Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm announces a commission of inquiry into the child safety system, which will also look at the case work of its officers.

Ms Camm said child safety officers could not keep up with the growing number of reports.

“What I have found when I have spoken to child safety officers is they are doing the best they can under the enormous pressure and strain they have,” Ms Camm said.

“What we also have seen over the course of the last ­decade is a decline in child safety officers being able to respond to those inquiries in a timely manner and within the thresholds.

“That’s because the case load numbers are so significant, and the lack of resources the department was allocated.”

The number of child harm investigations in Queensland has exploded from 19,874 in 2015 to 31,454 last year.

The number of investigations has increased in almost every region across the state, doubling in Brisbane and City of Moreton Bay from 4351 in 2015 to 9136 last year.

The southeast had the worst investigation rate, with just 27.4 per cent of the child harm reports started within the proper timeframe.

While almost all of the ­urgent child harm cases in Queensland were begun within 24 hours, all other cases of harm or risk meant to be looked into within five or 10 days were largely not looked into on time.

Originally published as Child safety Qld: 30,000 cases investigated last year