The Guardian for Children and Young People advocates for the rights and best interests of children and young people in care in South Australia. This includes providing advice to the Minister for Child Protection about systemic reform necessary to improve the quality of care provided to them.

Through this annual monitoring report on the child protection population and government expenditure in South Australia, the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People (OGCYP) highlights a key issue that impacts upon quality care: adequate resourcing for child protection services, spent where the evidence shows it matters.

The report finds:

• Under-resourcing is a human rights issue
• The South Australian care population continues to rise
• South Australia’s reliance on residential care is getting worse
• Aboriginal children and young people are disproportionately represented in care and residential care population growth
• Low spending on family support and protective intervention services leads to more children and young people living in care
• Spending on children and young people in care is not keeping up with population growth