Overview

• The 17-month inquiry will examine governance, service gaps, and connections between the child safety system and youth offending, with recommendations due by November 2026.
• Queensland has the highest number of children in residential care in Australia, with 2,200 as of December 2024, many facing severe abuse and challenges transitioning to adulthood.
• The 2024 Children in State Care Census revealed rising needs for NDIS support (32%) and public housing (54%), alongside significant overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care and youth justice.
• Advocates and experts emphasize that past inquiries have produced hundreds of unimplemented recommendations, fueling skepticism about whether real change will follow.
• Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm highlighted the inquiry's focus on children under dual Youth Justice and Child Protection orders, aiming to address failures that contribute to criminal behavior.