Queensland government admits vulnerable children slept on floor of public service offices

Child safety minister Amanda Camm has not answered questions about how often children have slept in offices both before and after the October 2024 election. Photograph: Darren England/AAP View image in fullscreen Child safety minister Amanda Camm has not answered questions about how often children have slept in offices both before and after the October 2024 election. Photograph: Darren England/AAP Queensland government admits vulnerable children slept on floor of public service offices LNP denies claims that recent changes to child safety practices have led to an increase in the use of office space Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The Queensland government has rejected claims its policies have further strained an under-pressure child protection system, after revelations that vulnerable children were made to sleep on the floor of public service offices. The premier, David Crisafulli , confirmed on Monday that the approach had been used under his LNP government, but his government said it would typically be done only in the early morning, when other options weren’t available. “These kids otherwise might be on the street,” Crisafulli said. Queensland’s economy teeters on edge of ratings downgrade despite coal royalty windfall Read more Crisafulli’s comments came after the Courier Mail reported over the weekend that children were removed from homes without alternative places being organised for them. The outlet reported children in state care were sleeping on mattresses in government offices, with the shadow treasurer, Shannon Fentiman, saying the department of child safety should be investigated over whether it breached its duty of care. It is unclear how often children have slept at child safety service centres and the child safety minister, Amanda Camm, did not answer a series of questions from Guardian Australia about the rates both before and after the October 2024 election, when the LNP government was elected. The Together union, which covers many workers in Queensland’s public sector, told media on Monday that the practice was getting more common. The union told Guardian Australia on Tuesday that children in the child safety system had slept overnight on air mattresses at the Toowoomba and Ipswich West child safety service centres this month and last month. The union’s assistant secretary Dee Spink said children being forced to sleep at the offices “because there are no alternate options available reflect a system that has been stretched for too long”. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email The union had raised concerns about the problem with the state government on 10 June, she said. Queensland has the largest number of children in out-of-home care in the country at 12,500, despite state rules that removal should not be the preferred option. The state also has the country’s largest residential care industry, housing about 2,258 children, including 78 und