The cost of keeping kids safe has doubled. Experts say there’s a fix
Australia's child protection system is facing financial challenges as costs have nearly doubled over the past decade. Despite the increase in spending, the number of child protection investigations has remained relatively stable. Experts are calling for reforms to prioritize family support services over out-of-home care to improve outcomes for children and families.
- ▪Federal government spending on child protection increased from $5.4 billion to $10.2 billion between 2014-15 and 2023-24.
- ▪The number of child protection investigations nationally held steady, from 20.2 investigations per 1000 children to 20.9 investigations.
- ▪Researchers emphasize the need for a national parenting strategy to address the root causes of child protection issues.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.