Victorian State Budget is failing children

Melbourne, 5 May, 2026 – Australian Childhood Foundation is deeply concerned that the Victorian Budget continues to prioritise incarceration over the safety, recovery and wellbeing of children.

The Government has committed more than $200 million to expand prison capacity, $100 million for a specialist youth court, and $60 million for additional police reservists, while children who have experienced abuse and trauma wait up to six months for therapeutic support. We look forward to further detail around the investment in early intervention. This investment must centre the needs of children not their deeds.

“When a child who has been abused has to wait six months for help, but we can find hundreds of millions of dollars to expand prisons, it tells you exactly where children sit in our priorities. Punitive responses do not make communities safer. Child-centred early intervention, therapeutic support and stable relationships do.” Janise Mitchell, CEO of Australian Childhood Foundation said.

The Budget includes important recommitments to family violence and child protection programs, but without new investment in therapeutic services, Victoria will continue to respond to crises rather than prevent them.

Currently, children who have experienced abuse or family violence face unacceptable delays accessing the help they need to heal.

“Every day a child waits for healing is a day their education, development, and wellbeing are compromised,” Conor Pall, Lead of Youth Engagement and Advocacy said.

We urge the Government to redirect its focus toward what works such as statewide access to trauma specialist therapeutic services.

Media enquiries:

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