Children and young people in care
In 2024, the department conducted a census of children and young people who had been living away from home for more than 3 months. Child Safety Officers completed surveys in relation to children and young people on their caseload. The information collected through the census is not readily available through the case management system and enables the department to build better profiles of children and young people in care to inform planning and services to help them.
2024 Children in Care Census
- 31% have limited to severely limited intellectual functioning/developmental delay.
- 20% have a diagnosed or suspected mental illness and/or behavioural disorder.
- 41% have a diagnosed or suspected disability and/or neurodevelopmental disability.