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<\/p>\nAmbitious goals to improve Queensland’s child safety department were “hamstrung” by underfunding as it struggled to recover from pressures caused by the COVID pandemic, an inquiry has heard.<\/p>\n
The child safety commission of inquiry was launched in May by the state LNP government to review systemic problems.<\/p>\n
Deidre Mulkerin, who led the department as director-general from 2020 through to 2024 under the former Labor administration, gave evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The inquiry heard the department had been dealing with an “exponential growth” in costs when she started the role.<\/p>\n
Goals to improve outcomes and budget deficits were set in 2023, including having 91 per cent of children in family-based foster and kinship care, rather than residential care, by 2027.<\/p>\n
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The inquiry heard Deidre Mulkerin had requested $1.5 billion in government funding to deliver on the department’s targets. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)<\/p>\n
Ms Mulkerin, who worked with four different child safety ministers, told the inquiry that goal was unrealistic.<\/p>\n
“It is plainly obvious now, in hindsight, that from the very beginning the ask about residential care … was difficult to achieve.<\/p>\n
“The trend was not heading down, it was heading up.”<\/p>\n
At that time, she had requested $1.5 billion in government funding to deliver on the targets, but was allocated only around $280 million.<\/p>\n
“This is obviously an ambitious and optimistic plan which sets very serious goals,” counsel assisting the inquiry Joshua Forrest said.<\/p>\n
“Do you agree that the success of those goals was essentially hamstrung by the lack of new funds?”<\/p>\n
“Yes, particularly the residential care target,” Ms Mulkerin responded.<\/p>\n
In practical terms, inquiry commissioner Paul Anastassiou KC and Ms Mulkerin agreed it meant the “window of opportunity” to make a positive difference in the lives of some children in care had closed.<\/p>\n
COVID pressures<\/p>\n
While the child safety department was under financial pressure at the start of Ms Mulkerin’s tenure, she told the inquiry the pandemic exacerbated issues across the system.<\/p>\n
She described a “dramatic” spike of around 500 children entering the child safety system as groups, including school and disability support and community agencies, closed due to lockdowns.<\/p>\n