The Commission of Inquiry into Child Safety will hold its first 2026 public hearing in Toowoomba with a key focus on the intersection between the child safety and youth justice systems.
The public hearing, at the Toowoomba Court House, will be held on 16 February and is expected to last for two weeks, with a possible third week, if required.
The Commission will hear evidence from Queensland Police Service and Youth Justice representatives, among others.
The announcement coincides with the Commission’s recent call for submissions on the department’s role as a corporate parent to children in care, and how the child safety and youth justice systems overlap.
Commissioner Paul Anastassiou KC said the community’s input would help inform the review into the effectiveness of the child safety system.
“Toowoomba is an important region in South-East Queensland. If you want to have a say on the department’s role as an effective corporate parent and the link between the child safety system and youth justice systems, then I encourage you to make a submission to the Commission,” Mr Anastassiou said.
Anyone can make a submission.
The commission will also continue its hearing about the child protection litigation model from 2 February to better understand the issues concerning the legal process of applying for and making child protection orders, and to hear evidence from part-heard witnesses and witnesses not reached in previous hearing blocks.
The public hearing about the child protection litigation model will be held at Courtroom 23, Brisbane Magistrates Court, 363 George Street. Proceedings will be live-streamed.
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