Victoria Child Protection
Victoria's child protection system serves over 11,000 children in care, with a focus on family preservation and kinship care models.
System Outcomes — Victoria
Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services 2026
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Care services expenditure ($'000) | 1,266,704 | 2024-25 |
| Intensive family support expenditure | $249K | 2024-25 |
| Foster carer households | 805 | 2024 |
| Kinship care households | 5,092 | 2024 |
| Children placed with kin (%) | 7601.0% | 2025 |
| Child protection notifications | 99,987 | 2024-25 |
| Indigenous notificationsindigenous | 9,031 | 2024-25 |
| Children in OOHC (no order) | 494 | 2025 |
| Children in OOHC (on orders) | 2,553 | 2025 |
| Protective intervention expenditure ($'000) | 578,960 | 2024-25 |
| Re-substantiation within 12 months (%) | 15.3% | 2023-24 |
| Substantiated (detailed) | 2,863 | 2024-25 |
| Substantiation rate (%) | 39.7% | 2024-25 |
| Substantiations | 3,809 | 2025 |
| Indigenous substantiationsindigenous | 485 | 2025 |
Evidence Base (ALMA)
What works in Victoria child protection
Policy Timeline
Key legislation, inquiries, and reforms
Child Protection workforce uplift
Additional 180 child protection practitioners funded across Victoria. Part of broader workforce strategy.
National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
All jurisdictions commit to implementing 10 Child Safe Standards based on Royal Commission recommendations.
Safe and Supported: National Framework 2021-2031
Successor to 2009 framework. Four focus areas: prevention, First Nations, OOHC reform, information sharing. First 5-year action plan 2023-2028.
National Redress Scheme commences
Established under National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Act 2018. Counselling, direct personal response, and monetary payments up to $150,000.
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse — Final Report
Five years, 57,000+ calls, 8,000+ private sessions. 409 recommendations across institutions, redress, criminal justice, child safe standards.
Roadmap for Reform: Strong Families, Safe Children
Victorian child protection reform program. Focus on Aboriginal self-determination, early intervention, therapeutic residential care.
Betrayal of Trust Inquiry — Final Report
Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child abuse in religious and other organisations. Led to mandatory reporting expansion.
National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children
First national plan — Protecting Children is Everyone's Business 2009-2020. Established six outcome areas and 12-year reform agenda.
Oversight & Accountability
Recommendations from inquiries, audits, and commissions
| Body | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
Commission for Children and Young People Annual Report 2023 | CCYP-VIC-1Reduce average caseloads for child protection practitioners to no more than 15 cases | pending |
Royal Commission IRCS Final Report | RC-CP-1Establish National Office for Child Safety to coordinate cross-jurisdictional child safe standards | implemented |
Royal Commission IRCS Final Report | RC-CP-2All institutions working with children must implement the 10 Child Safe Standards | partially implemented |
Royal Commission IRCS Final Report | RC-CP-3Establish National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse | implemented |
Cross-System Organisations
Entities appearing across multiple policy domains
| Organisation | Domains | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Interact Australia Limited | child protectionndisyouth justice | $2.9M |
| Department of Health | child protectionndis | $275.9M |
| Lifestyle Solutions (Aust) Ltd | child protectionndis | $89.2M |
| The Salvation Army (Qld) Property Trust | child protectionndis | $9.7M |
| Australian Red Cross Society | child protectionndis | $5.1M |
| Vision Australia Limited | child protectionndis | $2.9M |
| Access Incorporated | child protectionndis | $1.3M |
| Neami Limited | child protectionndis | $390K |
| Reclink Australia | child protectionndis | $10K |
| Australian Trust For Conservation Volunteers | child protectionndis | $7K |