Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs

Queensland Budget 2022-23 · Palaszczuk Government

Minister
Leanne Linard MP
Department head
Director-General Deidre Mulkerin

As at budget day (2022-06-21)

$2.302B
Total expenses
$51.7M
Capital program
$652M
3 tracked measures
5,384
FTE staff

Key service areas

Child and Family ServicesYouth JusticeMulticultural Affairs

Budget initiatives

Child and Family Services - Out of Home Care$500MExpandedAnnounced

An increase of $2.2 billion over five years, and $500 million per year ongoing, for out of home care services in response to significant, ongoing growth in demand in the child protection system.

More funding supports vulnerable children and young people who cannot safely live at home, as the number needing care continues to rise.

2021-22: $170M2022-23: $500M2023-24: $500M2024-25: $500M2025-26: $500M

General Government operating, $2.2 billion over 5 years ($170 million in 2021-22 plus $500 million per year). $500M is the recurrent annual increase.

Family Support and Child Protection Reforms$130.1MContinuingAnnounced

$470.4 million over four years (and $104.7 million per annum ongoing) to continue family support and child protection reforms through the Supporting Families Changing Futures program, including Intensive Family Support services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services.

Families experiencing vulnerability and more complex needs receive continued early intervention and culturally appropriate support to help keep children safely at home.

2022-23: $130.1M

General Government operating, $470.4 million over 4 years ($464.5 million new funding and $6 million internally met). The $130.1M in 2022-23 combines the Department of Children portion ($117.5 million) and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General portion ($12.6 million) of the whole-of-government measure.

Youth Justice Strategy Investment$22.2MContinuingAnnounced

$78.8 million over four years ($18.9 million per annum ongoing) to continue Youth Justice Strategy reforms, funding youth detention centre staffing, Indigenous youth and family workers, integrated case management, the Mount Isa transitional hub, family-led decision making and multi-agency collaborative panels.

Youth justice reforms aimed at reducing reoffending continue, with more staff in detention centres and community programs to address the causes of youth crime.

2022-23: $22.2M

General Government operating, $78.8 million over 4 years ($77.2 million new funding and $1.6 million internally met). $22.2M in 2022-23 sums the Youth Justice Investment expense lines (detention staffing, Indigenous workers, integrated case management, Mount Isa hub, family-led decision making, collaborative panels, program management office and the co-responder model).

Forward estimates

Year-by-year allocations for 3 measures with published forward profiles.

Measure2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26Total
Child and Family Services - Out of Home Care$170M$500M$500M$500M$500M$2.17B
Family Support and Child Protection Reforms$130.1M$130.1M
Youth Justice Strategy Investment$22.2M$22.2M
Total$170.0M$652.2M$500.0M$500.0M$500.0M$2.32B

Performance metrics

Service standards from the Service Delivery Statement. Targets and actuals as published.

MetricPrior targetActualTarget
2024-252024-252025-26
Rate of substantiated harm per 1,000 children (0-17 years of age)5.55.45.4
Rate of children entering out-of-home care per 1,000 children (0-17 years) - All children2.82.52.5
Percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children placed with kin, other Indigenous carers or Indigenous residential care services56%57%58%
Out-of-home expenditure per placement night$261$272$279
Percentage of orders supervised in the community that are successfully completed - All young offenders85%85%87%
Youth detention centre utilisation rate85%97%92%
Average cost per hour of policy advice and support (Multicultural Affairs)$75$69$76

Source: Service Delivery Statement. Prior target and actual are for 2024-25; target is for 2025-26.

Source document

Service Delivery Statement — Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs (PDF)

Last updated: 2026-06-21. Factual information from published budget documents.