Child safety caseloads skyrocket, thousands of hours worked for free

The Age

10-06-2025

Child protection workers are managing up to 18 Queensland children on average in some parts of the state, but the union says the number is actually far higher, with thousands of hours being worked for free.
The data, released under Right to Information, came weeks before an inquiry was set to investigate failings within the child safety system.
The figures showed Department of Child Safety officers in North Queensland were struggling under an average of 18 cases, while Brisbane staff managed an average of 16 cases.
But the caseloads handled by each worker were actually about 30, according to Together Union, with officers continuing to work for free outside their normal hours to ensure children are safe.
The strain staff were under was most commonly linked to high-profile cases, such as the death of Mason Jet Lee in 2016, and Chloe-Ann and Darcey-Helen Conley in 2019.
An inquest found the failures that led to Mason's death were the 'result of overworked, under-resourced, and inexperienced staff'.
State Coroner Terry Ryan has yet to deliver his findings into the Conley sisters' case.