Dozens of vulnerable children were deemed not at risk by Victoria’s child protection system. They are now dead
A report from Victoria’s commissioner for children and young people reveals that dozens of children died after being deemed 'not at risk' by the state's child protection system. The findings highlight systemic failures, including ineffective referrals and a lack of support for kinship care.
Why it matters
It exposes critical gaps in government welfare systems that directly impact the safety and survival of vulnerable children.
In 2025, 75% of all reports received by child protection were about children who had been reported before. Photograph: Alex Linch/Alamy View image in fullscreen In 2025, 75% of all reports received by child protection were about children who had been reported before. Photograph: Alex Linch/Alamy Child protection Dozens of vulnerable children were deemed not at risk by Victoria’s child protection system. They are now dead The state’s commissioner for children and young people raised the alarm about cycles of ineffective referrals to voluntary services and closed reports in 35 cases of children who died after interactions with the system
The article reports on official government findings and auditor reports without injecting editorial opinion.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in