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MEDIA HANDOUT: 30 JUNE 2024 CHILD AND FAMILY PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

A media handout (PDF) (DOCX) for June 2024 data is available for download..

FAMILY SUPPORT

  • Queensland’s family support services continue to provide families with the necessary supports and referrals to keep children safe at home.
  • Family and Child Connect received 27,591 enquiries in the year ending 30 June 2024.
  • Intensive Family Support services provided 4,195 families with support to address needs and assist families to build their capacity to care for and protect their children in the year ending 30 June 2024.
  • 87 per cent of families who engaged with an Intensive Family Support and had all or majority of their case plan goals achieved were not subsequently investigated by Child Safety within the following 6 months.
  • 4,236 families received support from a Family Wellbeing Service in the year ending 30 June 2024, improving the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, children, and young people.
  • 88 per cent of families who engaged with a Family Wellbeing Service and had all or majority of their case plan goals achieved were not subsequently investigated by Child Safety within the following 6 months.

CHILD PROTECTION

  • Demand for child protection services continues to grow with 40,389 notifications requiring investigation in the year ending 30 June 2024, a 17.8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year (34,279).
  • Child Safety commenced 30,050 investigations in the year ending 30 June 2024, 1,189 more than the same time last year. This included 5,114 notifications with a 24-hour priority, 11.3 per cent more than this time last year.
  • We continue to prioritise our most urgent cases. For investigations with a 24-hour priority – 92.0 per cent were commenced on time.
  • The number of investigations finalised by Child Safety in the last year is up by 14.8 per cent (33,117 in total). This is 4,264 more investigations finalised by Child Safety when compared to the same period last year.
  • The number of children in care increased to 11,966 as at 30 June 2024. This is a 3.2 per cent increase (373 children) compared to the same period last year.
  • Half of all children in care (49.8 per cent) are placed with kin. This is an increase compared to last year (48.2 per cent) and an increase from 10 years ago (40.4 per cent).
  • The vast majority of children - 92per cent reunified remained safely at home and did not re-enter care within the following 12 months.
  • When a family is unable to care for their children safely at home, Queenslanders are continuing to step up to become foster and kinship carers. Over the last year 1,730 families stepped up to be carers for the first time. In total there were 6,241 carer families as at 30 June 2024, up from 6,068 a year ago.
  • We are always looking for more foster carers. Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer should call the Foster Care Recruitment Line on 1300 550 877, visit www.fcq.com.au or https://www.qld.gov.au/community/caring-child/foster-kinship-care/ or contact one of Queensland's many foster care support agencies directly.
  • Caseloads for child safety officers are 15.6 cases per full-time equivalent child safety officer.