Overview

• The Queensland government has initiated a 17-month commission of inquiry to address failures in its child safety and out-of-home care system, costing over $1.12 billion annually.
• New data reveals that over 100 serious repeat youth offenders, nearly a third of all such offenders in the state, are currently in state care.
• The inquiry will examine governance, procurement, and policy failures, including how the care system may contribute to youth crime and neglect high-risk children.
• 2024 census data highlights alarming rates of abuse and neglect among children entering care, with 11% experiencing sexual abuse, 46% physical abuse, and 88% neglect.
• Advocates, including Noel Pearson, have praised the inquiry as a critical step to address a decade of systemic harm, particularly to Indigenous and disadvantaged children.