Teenage girl allegedly raped in ‘heinous’ attack at Queensland residential care home

A Queensland teenager, who is intellectually impaired, has reportedly been sexually assaulted in a state-funded residential care home located west of Brisbane, according to police investigating the alleged "heinous" crime. The assault is believed to have occurred around 20 August, and a staff member at the facility is accused of the violent act.

Queensland's child safety minister, Amanda Camm, affirmed that the incident is being probed by authorities, expressing her zero tolerance for abuse, especially when it targets vulnerable children in care facilities. She stated at a press conference, "Queenslanders would rightly expect that anyone convicted of such a [allegedly] heinous offence deserves to face the full force of the law."

The government has come under scrutiny over its child safety system, with the Liberal National party government previously claiming the system was "broken" before assuming power. A June commission of inquiry found that 67% of reported sexual exploitation cases in state care involved children residing in residential care facilities, a figure Camm deems unacceptable.

Following the inquiry's recommendations, the government has cancelled contracts with providers who failed to meet safety and quality standards, while committing $200 million to implement the recommendations over a 30-month period. The inquiry also revealed a lack of adoptions in state care since 2019. The government is also working towards establishing the Queensland Protection Commission, a nation-leading safeguarding agency aimed at improving the protection of children from sexual abuse.