- A record number of Queensland children in care are living with kinship carers, with close to half now placed with family.
- The number of Queensland carers is increasing, with 6,042 carer families providing safe homes for children in care.
- Almost 30,000 enquiries have been received by Family and Child Connect from families seeking free and confidential early-intervention advice and support.
A record number of Queensland children in care have been placed with kinship carers, meaning more young people are staying connected to family, culture and community.
A total of 5,445 children and young people, or 47.2 per cent of all children and young people in care, have been placed with kin thanks to a growing number of kinship carers, according to the latest child safety data, which was published today.
Queenslanders continue to step up to care for vulnerable children, with the number of carer families increasing to 6,042 as at 31 December 2022, including 1,488 first-time carer families.
Family complexities, compounded by COVID-19, cost-of-living pressures, housing shortages, domestic and family violence and illicit drug use, has sadly seen the number of children in care increase to 11,527, a 2.4 per cent rise compared to the previous year.
The Department of Children recorded 32,994 notifications requiring investigation and/or assessment in the year ending 31 December 2022, an 8.6 per cent rise compared to the year before.
Child safety officers continue to prioritise the most urgent cases, with 93.1 per cent of cases with a 24-hour priority starting on time.
While the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people placed with kin has increased, more kinship carers are needed.
A total of 4,231 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families sought assistance from Family Wellbeing Services in the latest reporting period.
Family and Child Connect received nearly 30,000 enquiries from Queensland families seeking free and confidential support and advice with just a phone call.
Close to 90 per cent of families who had their needs met by a family support service were not investigated by Child Safety in the following six months.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Children, Leanne Linard:
"The Palaszczuk Government is committed to working with and walking alongside families and parents so children and young people can grow up safe and supported.
"I am thankful for the incredible support of foster and kinship carers who continue to step up every day to care for children when they are unable to safely live at home.
"Child safety officers also play a very important role in supporting families and children to overcome hardships and change their futures for the better.
"We continue to invest significantly to strengthen our child protection system and support families, children and young people in their times of need.
"We remain focused on increasing the number of children cared for by kin, reducing the number of children in residential care, and ensuring all First Nations children can have services delivered by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation.
"Child safety is everyone's business, and everyone can help — by becoming a carer or a child safety officer, encouraging friends, families and neighbours to seek help when they need it, or, by taking action when you see an issue involving families, children or young people."
