Last updated 12 July 2022

Once the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (Child Safety) becomes involved with a family, they may make decisions in accordance with the type of order that has been made. For example, where a custody order has been made, Child Safety will make decisions about where the child will live and what kind of contact the child will have with their family. This is the case even where the order is an interim order.

The Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld) (Child Protection Act) requires Child Safety to consider the views of the parents and the child when making decisions. However, Child Safety is not bound to follow the child’s or the parents’ wishes.

The following decisions that are made by Child Safety are reviewable:

  • refusing a request to review a case plan if a child has a long-term guardian
  • directing a parent in relation to a supervision matter stated in a child protection order
  • refusing to deal with a complaint about a permanent guardian
  • deciding who the child will live with
  • not informing the parents of the child’s address
  • restricting or imposing conditions on contact
  • removing the child from the care of a particular carer.

If the child, their parents, a member of the child’s family in case of a contact decision or the carer do not agree with a decision in relation to one of the above things, then they can apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to have Child Safety’s decision reviewed (s 247 Child Protection Act ). Not every decision Child Safety makes is able to be reviewed (see sch 2 of the Child Protection Act for a list of reviewable decisions).