Major changes are on the way for child safety in Queensland, after the Government released its response to the In Plain Sight review, an examination of how the state’s systems respond to child sexual abuse.
The changes focus on improving how risks are identified, how information is shared, and how agencies work together to protect children.
What was the In Plain Sight review?
The In Plain Sight review was conducted by the Child Death Review Board and completed in December 2025.
It looked at how government systems respond to child sexual abuse, particularly across early childhood education and care, police services, and the “blue card” worker screening system.
A key case study
A central part of the review examined the case of Ashley Paul Griffith, a convicted offender whose crimes continued over many years.
The review found that warning signs had been identified at multiple points, but were held across different agencies and not effectively shared or acted on.
In total, more than 18 opportunities were identified where earlier action may have disrupted or prevented the offending.
This led to a key finding: child sexual abuse can often be “hidden in plain sight”, where risks are visible in parts of the system, but not recognised as a whole.
The review identified several system-wide issues, including:
- limited information sharing between agencies
- a lack of coordination across the system
- difficulty identifying risks before harm occurs
- gaps in oversight and accountability
Overall, it called for a more coordinated and proactive approach to protecting children.
What is the government doing to fix this?
The government has accepted, or accepted in principle, most of the review’s recommendations.
Its response focuses on strengthening the child protection system by improving coordination, oversight, and early detection of risks.
Queensland Protection Commission
The most significant change is the creation of the Queensland Protection Commission (QPC).
This new body will bring together several key child safety functions that are currently spread across different parts of government, including:
- the Reportable Conduct Scheme
- Child Safe Standards oversight
- Working with Children Check (blue card) functions
By bringing these functions together, the goal is to reduce gaps between agencies and create clearer accountability for how risks are managed.
Intelligence Hub
An Intelligence Hub will also be established within the Commission.
This hub will collect and analyse information from across government agencies to identify patterns and emerging risks earlier.
The aim is to shift the system from reacting to abuse after it occurs, to identifying risks and intervening sooner.
How will this affect Queenslanders?
For most people, these changes will not have an immediate or direct impact on day-to-day life.
However, they represent an important shift in how child safety is managed across Queensland.
In practice, the changes aim to:
- improve how information is shared between agencies such as police, health, education and child protection
- strengthen screening and oversight of people working with children
- identify risks earlier, including patterns of concerning behaviour
- create a more consistent and coordinated system for responding to concerns
For organisations that work with children, there may be clearer expectations and stronger oversight over time.
For the broader community, the goal is a system that is better able to recognise risks early and respond before harm occurs.
When will these changes happen?
The reforms will be introduced over time. The Queensland Protection Commission is expected to begin operating in early 2027, with the Intelligence Hub to be established at a later stage.
Because these changes involve multiple agencies and systems, they will be rolled out progressively, and it may take time before their full impact is seen.
