A new research report has painted a troubling picture of childhood disadvantage across Queensland, revealing that children in the state are falling behind their peers nationally in crucial areas including development, health and education.
The University of Queensland report Raising Queensland, commissioned by the Queensland Council of Social Services, found that almost a quarter of Queensland children aren't meeting developmental milestones, with particularly stark figures for early childhood.
According to the report's author, Professor Karen Healy AM, 92 per cent of young children are assessed as developmentally normal at birth, but this drops to 76 per cent by age five. This means nearly 77,000 children are entering school without being developmentally prepared.
The troubling trend extends beyond early learning. Research found that kids are finishing Year 12 at far lower rates in regional areas compared to metropolitan zones. The majority of Queensland's low-income families are experiencing extreme housing stress, spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing.
Food insecurity is another concern. The report revealed that 14 per cent of Queensland families have run out of food at some point in the last 12 months. For families already stretched thin by housing costs, this shortfall creates a cascade of hardship affecting everything from school attendance to health outcomes.
Healy emphasised that the problem is not inevitable and stems from inequality of opportunity rather than lack of potential, noting that risk is not spread evenly and that children in regional, rural and remote areas, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, are disproportionately represented in negative statistics.
The report also found more than 10,000 families with children on the social housing waitlist in Queensland, and the number of children in residential care has risen 85 per cent in five years.
QCOSS CEO Aimee McVee called on the Queensland government, and specifically the Minister for Families Amanda Camm, to create a "coordinated whole-of-government families strategy" ensuring kids across Queensland have access to health, education and housing. McVee described the situation as a child and family crisis for the state, noting that for years frontline services have warned the situation is worsening.
The Queensland government responded by defending its record, referencing recent initiatives including permanent 50-cent public transport fares, investment in community housing, and Play On sports vouchers. A government spokesperson attributed the cost-of-living pressures to decisions made by the former Labor government.
However, the question remains whether current policy settings are sufficient to address the scale of disadvantage the report documents. Separate research into Queensland's housing crisis found that Brisbane property prices have increased 65 per cent since 2020, almost double the Australian capital city average, whilst new tenancy rents across the state climbed 45 per cent over the same period. These market pressures are what's squeezing families most.
For policymakers to act effectively, the Raising Queensland report published by the University of Queensland provides detailed evidence on where intervention is most needed. The gap between aspirations for every Queensland child and the reality facing nearly a quarter of them is substantial, and closing it will require more than reactive policy adjustments.