Dozens of vulnerable children were deemed not at risk by Victoria’s child protection system. They are now dead
Summary
Victoria’s child protection system is struggling to support its most vulnerable children due to increased demand, lack of funding, and poor data management. Reports revealed that dozens of children who were considered not at risk later died, highlighting serious gaps in the system and a shortage of foster carers.Key Facts
- A report showed that 35 children who had contact with child protection services died after their cases were closed.
- Child protection services face issues like delayed, inaccurate, and incomplete data, making it hard to make good decisions.
- There are fewer foster carers in Victoria, and most children in care (81.7%) live with relatives or close family friends (kinship care).
- Payments to carers in Victoria are the lowest in Australia, contributing to the decline in carer numbers.
- Many children get stuck in a cycle where child protection refers them to voluntary family services, but these services often cannot engage them due to lack of funding and waitlists.
- Calls to child protection have increased from about 118,000 in 2021-2022 to 151,000 in 2024-2025, adding pressure to the system.
- The commission for children and young people and the auditor general both reported on these issues and called for changes.
- Funding for voluntary family support services only meets about one-third of the demand.
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