The Commission held public hearings in Toowoomba:
- Week 1: Monday 16 to Friday 20 February 2026
- Week 2: Monday 23 to Friday 27 February 2026.
These hearings explored the link between the child safety system and the youth justice system, and how the state acts as 'corporate parent', particularly for those children in both systems.
Corporate parenting: This means when the State or Government takes on the role of 'parent' for a child. That is, when a child has been removed from their parent or family, and is subject to a Child Protection Order. As 'corporate parent' in this way, the Government has many of the same responsibilities that an individual parent does.
The Commission wants to better understand how the Queensland Government fulfils these responsibilities as 'corporate parent', to ensure the best for Queensland children and the community.
The link between the child safety and youth justice systems: Of the number of children in Queensland's youth justice system, a disproportionately high number are in State care. The reason for this is not clear.
The Commission therefore wants to better understand any link between the youth justice system and the child safety system.
Through public hearings, the Commission explored:
- Is the Department an effective corporate parent?
- As a corporate parent, is the Department meeting community expectations about parenting, particularly for children and young people who are
- in residential (non-family-based) care?
- in out-of-home care and are known to both the child safety system and the youth justice system?
- transitioning out of youth detention into care?
- transitioning out of care into adulthood?
- Is there a link between the child safety system and the youth justice system?
- If there is a link between the child safety system and the youth justice system, what is that link?
- Do elements of the child safety system operate as a 'feeder system' to the youth justice system?
- What are the factors contributing to children in care entering the youth justice system?
- People's experiences of communication, engagement, and information sharing between Government Departments and entities, where they relate to children in both the child safety system and the youth justice system.
Watch the livestream
When a public hearing is in session, you can watch the livestream of the hearing below, with a 10 minute delay from live proceedings.
Hearing session times are published below, and may change. Please check this webpage on the day for confirmed session times.
There are strict confidentiality requirements under the Child Protection Act 1999. This means publication of any details that identify a child in care is prohibited.
All livestreamed hearings are subject to the Order to Prohibit Publication of Evidence (PDF, 153.0 KB) (Non-publication order). The publication or sharing of information obtained through the video recordings below that breaches the non-publication order is strictly prohibited and may result in prosecution.
Viewers are advised, the livestream has a 10 minute delay. This is in case of a breach of protocol during the hearing, such as the accidental disclosure of confidential information (for example the name of a child has been revealed).
The youth justice and corporate parenting hearings in Toowoomba concluded on Wednesday 25 February 2026.
