As a response to reports of abuse and neglect, the government of Queensland has decided to conduct a review of the residential care system that houses some of the state’s most vulnerable children.
On Monday, the state’s Minister for Child Safety, Craig Crawford, issued an order for a comprehensive study of the situation and stated that it would consult professionals, advocates, and frontline personnel before delivering its findings later in 2023.
In a statement, he expressed his feelings on the matter, saying, “I am deeply concerned about reports of alleged criminal behaviour, abuse, and neglect in the residential care system.”
“I urge any care worker in the state of Queensland who is concerned to immediately report any criminal activity to the Queensland police service,” she said.
The minister is going to get in touch with Luke Twyford, who is the commissioner for families and children in Queensland so that he can supervise the work being done on the review.
“I’ve particularly asked for a focus on how children aged under 12, children from First Nations, and disabled children are handled by the state’s residential care system,” he said.
Acting Premier Steven Miles admitted that there were not enough people willing to become foster parents to meet the demand, which meant that the government had to rely on residential care providers that were under contract with them.
He stated that every child in their care had been affected by the tragedy at some point in their lives, and he refuted the idea that there was a major overlap with juvenile delinquency.
He stated that only 4% of the youngsters who were in the care of child safety were also considered to be juvenile criminals. “It’s a fact,” he remarked.
“The actions taken by the [Liberal National party] at the weekend to use the tragedy of these children’s lives for their own political advantage is reprehensible and appalling,” said one commentator. “[T]hey should be ashamed of themselves.”
During a speech that he gave at the LNP’s convention, the leader of the opposition, David Crisafulli, had promised to make revising the system that oversees the safety of children one of his top priorities.
Crisafulli claimed that the system was a factor in the rise of juvenile delinquency and that 58 per cent of children who had contact with the juvenile justice system had a recent history with child safety.
“The state government is the biggest parent in the state, with over 1,700 kids in out-of-home residential care,” he stated on Sunday. “The state government is the biggest parent in the state.”
“Together with the brightest minds, we will plot a course that is designed to repair Queensland’s broken residential care system and to begin providing these children with a chance at a life that is at least passable,”
