Children caught in a referring roundabout

4 June 2026 – Australian Childhood Foundation responds to the Commission for Children and Young People’s Left Behind report

Today’s Left Behind report is a devastating indictment of Victoria’s child protection system that is seeing children and young people on paper, but failing to reach them in practice.

The Commission for Children and Young People has reviewed the deaths of 35 children known to Child Protection. On average, eight reports were made about each child over their lifetimes. Of 267 reports reviewed, 231 were closed at intake. In one case, 17-year-old girl died by suicide after seven reports detailing family violence, drug use and suicidal ideation.

“This is what a referring roundabout looks like,” said Conor Pall, Youth Engagement Lead of Australian Childhood Foundation. “Children exposed to violence and trauma are being reported to authorities, assessed as not at significant risk, and closed out of the system. Three quarters of children reported to Child Protection last year had already been reported before. This tells us these are not isolated instances of concern. These are the same children coming back to the attention of the system again and again. The system keeps circling the same children experiencing harm through the same responses – and it is the children who are left to carry risk.”

Reports increased 23 per cent between 2022 and 2025. Demand for The Orange Door surged 35 per cent. Nearly half of those referred either declined or could not be contacted. Demand is outstripping supply and too many children are being left without the early, specialist support that could prevent further harm.

“The deaths of these children were preventable. They were seen, reported, referred, and left behind” said Janise Mitchell CEO of Australian Childhood Foundation. “Today’s report must be a line in the sand. Victoria cannot keep asking children and young people to survive violence, survive the system and then survive the lifelong impacts of being left behind. We call on the Victorian Government to act on the Commission’s recommendations without delay, including urgent investment inn specialist, developmentally appropriate supports for children and young people experiencing family violence. That must include scaling youth-specific family violence case management models such as the Amplify model, alongside therapeutic counselling and wraparound support they need to heal.

As Commissioner Beaton said today: we cannot afford not to fund support for children. We agree. In an election year, every party should be asked what they will do to make sure children and young people are met with real support while they are still children.”

Media enquiries:

Gina Dafalia
PR and Communications
Phone: 0447558195
Email: gdafalia@childhood.org.au