Abuse cases surging as child protection investigations take weeks to start

Victorian authorities took at least 29 days to start investigating more than 2600 child protection cases last financial year, with figures also showing the state is spending less per child on care services than any other state or territory.

The latest Report on Government Services has painted a stark picture of the troubled child protection system even as the Allan government warns of further budgetary pressure to come.

The child protection system in Victoria is struggling to cope.

It found the Allan government in the 2023-24 financial year spent $821.96 per child on care services.

This was the lowest spend in this category in the nation, with all jurisdictions other than the ACT spending more than $1000 per child.

Over this period, the report found there were 2615 cases where it took child protection authorities more than 29 days to start an investigation after a notification was made.

In the last financial year, more than 34,300 investigations were finalised, and 14,398 or 41.9 per cent were substantiated, meaning authorities had reasonable cause to believe a child had been – or was being – abused, neglected or harmed.

A total of 593 children in care were involved in a substantiated case relating to serious categories such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse or neglect, up from 381 the year before.

As a proportion of children in care, this was the highest in the nation at 4.8 per cent.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing says these figures were higher because the department had completed a larger number of investigations in the most recent financial year, rather than an increase in harm or new cases.

However, the Report on Government Services indicates that the total number of investigations finalised in 2023-24 was 3000 cases lower than the year before.

The total number of investigations commenced in Victoria in all categories, including lower risk areas, has also been steadily rising. There were 41,123 investigations in 2023-24, compared to 39,404 the year before and 35,479 in 2021-22.

“The safety and wellbeing of children is our No.1 priority, and the abuse or neglect of any child placed in out-of-home care is unacceptable,” a department spokesperson said.

“We know there is more to be done to improve outcomes for children and young people in residential care. That’s why we’re providing all young people access to therapeutic supports by 2025-26 – ensuring they receive the care they need to promote healing from trauma and support their wellbeing.

“Our staff and agencies work around the clock to ensure the safety of vulnerable children, and we’re making sure every child in care is supervised by either a team manager or case manager.”

Opposition child protection spokeswoman Roma Britnell said the figures were not acceptable and that children should not be left waiting for a month or more for an investigation into their safety.

She said the 593 children exposed to abuse or neglect showed a failure of government and that children removed from their homes were placed in further danger.

“The report exposes Labor’s inability to fix Victoria’s broken child protection system, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable Victorian children at risk,” Britnell said.

The Allan government has spent $4 billion to improve child protection and family services over the past five years.

Liana Buchanan, Victoria’s Commissioner for Children and Young People.Credit: Justin McManus

However, the sector has been asking for more support across multiple levels even as the government looks to cut spending.

Advocates have repeatedly called for an increase to foster carer allowances, which have the lowest base rate of any state or territory, amid data that shows the number of carers is shrinking.

The government has had a report since January 2022, commissioned from consulting firm KPMG but not released publicly, that backed a 67 per cent increase to the total amount paid to foster carers. It would have cost $114 million in the 2021 financial year if implemented but has not yet been adopted.

Ahead of the May state budget, ministers have been asked find savings in their areas of responsibility.

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes also warned last month that up to 3000 public servants could lose their jobs as the state government looks to cut back spending. This will not include frontline child protection staff.

Commissioner for Children and Young People Liana Buchanan in her latest annual report noted allegations of child abuse have increased by 30 per cent since 2022-23 and 136 per cent since 2017.

Buchanan said an inquiry into a 12-year-old who had been moved through unsafe temporary accommodation before allegedly stabbing a woman to death had also uncovered some of the most profound failures she had ever seen.

“[The case] reflected the extreme manifestation of so many of the problems we have seen across systemic inquiries from the last few years, with devastating consequences,” she said in October last year.

Last year, The Age revealed the families department had received 66 reports of deaths of children since 2020.

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