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Media handout

MEDIA INFORMATION: 30 SEPTEMBER 2022 CHILD AND FAMILY PERFORMANCE STATISTICS

A media handout for September 2022 data is available for download.

COVID-19 IMPACT

  • The data for the 12 months to 30 September 2022 data includes impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic (from April 2020 onwards).
  • Demand for family support and child protection services increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

FAMILY SERVICES

  • 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 29,341 enquiries in the year ending 30 September 2022, supporting vulnerable families by assessing their needs and referring them to the most appropriate support services.
  • Intensive Family Support services provided 4,623 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 September 2022.
  • 88 per cent of children who received Intensive Family Support and had their needs met did not have a subsequent investigation by Child Safety within the following six months (up to 30 September 2022).
  • 4,294 families received support from a Family Wellbeing Service in the year ending 30 September 2022, improving the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, children and young people. This is an increase of 211 families (5.2 per cent) compared to the same period last year (year ending 30 September 2021).
  • 88 per cent of children who received Family Wellbeing Services and had their needs met did not have a subsequent investigation by Child Safety within the following six months (up to 30 September 2022).

CHILD PROTECTION

  • 33,098 notifications required investigation in the year ending 30 September 2022, an 15.8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year (28,591).
  • The number of investigations commenced by Child Safety in the last year is up by 10.8 per cent (28,936 in total). This is 2,825 more investigations commenced by Child Safety when compared to the same period last year. This included 4,265 notifications with a 24-hour priority, 15.6 per cent more than this time last year.
  • We continue to prioritise our most urgent cases. For investigations with a 24-hour priority – 94.2 per cent were commenced on time – a slight increase compared to the same period last year (94.1 per cent).
  • The number of children in care increased to 11,427 as at 30 September 2022.  This is a 2.3 per cent increase (258 children) compared to the same period last year. This latest data shows growth is continuing to slow, compared to a 4.4 per cent increase for the year ending 30 September 2021 and an 8.6 per cent increase for the year ending 30 September 2020.
  • 204 (7 per cent) less children were admitted to care in the last 12 months.
  • A record number of children are being placed with kin. As a result, nearly half of all children in care are now placed with kin (46.5 per cent). This is an increase compared to last year (46.0 per cent) and an increase from 10 years ago (35.0 per cent).
  • Our foster and kinship care system is crucial to placement stability, helping children experience fewer placements during their time in care. For children exiting care after 12 months or more, nearly two-thirds (63.8 per cent) had three or fewer placements, up from 59.9 per cent a year ago.
  • 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 1,547 families stepped up to be carers for the first time. In total there were 6,017 carer families as at 30 September 2022, up from 5,927 a year ago. Most of this increase came from kinship carers.
  • 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 www.qld.gov.au/community/caring-child/foster-kinship-care/ or contact one of Queensland's many foster care support agencies direct.
  • Caseloads for child safety officers are 16.0 cases per full-time equivalent child safety officer.