Out-of-control teenager costing taxpayers $1.3MILLION every year: The staggering cost to care for a boy, 17, with a shocking history of sexually abusing his younger step-siblings
- A Queensland Minister revealed staggering cost to care for a single 17-year-old
- The 17-year-old has a history of sexually abusing his younger step-siblings
- He requires 24/7 care from the state at a cost of $1.3million per year
- The average cost of caring for a youth in state care is $347,000
Queensland’s Child Safety Minister has revealed one of the 871 children currently under the state’s care is costing taxpayers a staggering $1.3million per year.
Children in state government-funded ‘residential care’ cost Queensland anywhere from $188,277 to $1.3 million a year, per child, The Courier-Mail reported.
Queensland Child Safety Minister Di Farmer said the cost of around-the-clock care for the child known as ‘Boy Y’, 17, is about $1.3million each year.
Meanwhile, the average cost to care for a child in state residential care is $347,000.
Queensland’s Child Safety Minister Di Farmer (pictured) has revealed one of the 871 children currently under the state’s care is costing taxpayers a staggering $1.3million per year
Boy Y was diagnosed with autism and has a record of ‘sexually reactive behaviours and violent outbursts’ including a history of sexually abusing his two step-siblings, both under the age of 10.
As a result he is provided with around the clock care and undergoes home schooling, all under the supervision of Child Safety workers.
Child Safety workers also help the 17-year-old boy undergo occupational therapy, counselling sessions and speech pathology classes.
Ms Farmer said each child was treated differently dependent on their history prior to coming into state care.
‘Owing to backgrounds of abuse and neglect, children and young people living in residential care are more likely to have experienced serious trauma, disability and mental health issues, and to have complex, challenging and high-risk behaviours,’ she said.
‘The needs of young people in residential care range from moderate to extreme levels of risk to safety and wellbeing.
‘The cost of this care … includes live-in workers providing 24-hour a day supervision and support to between one and four children/young people, and the therapeutic supports required to keep these highly vulnerable young people alive, safe and well.’
In Queensland residential care is provided to children from the ages of 12 to 17 who require ‘complex to extreme support needs’.
‘Residential care provides an environment that supports the young person in their adolescent development and is an alternative to family based care,’ a Queensland Government statement read.
‘Residential care may include live-in or rostered workers with combinations of awake and sleepover shifts and on-call arrangements.
Services are often expected to provide care 24 hours a day, every day of the year and are funded by the Department of Child Safety, Youth, Women and licensed under the Child Protection Act 1999.
Boy Y was diagnosed with autism and has a record of ‘sexually reactive behaviours and violent outbursts’ including a history of sexually abusing his two step-siblings, both under the age of 10 (stock image)