The Northern Territory Office of the Children's Commissioner has released a scathing report detailing harm and exploitation experienced by children in out-of-home care across the Northern Territory.
The report found that nearly one in three children in out-of-home care in 2024 to 2025 were the subject of at least one alleged harm notification.
An overwhelming majority of those children are Aboriginal.
In more than one in four cases, the child's carer was identified as the person responsible for the harm.
It follows sweeping reforms announced for the NT's child protection system last month that experts argue will see more children placed in care.
"Children who are removed from their families and placed in out of home care have often experienced significant trauma and adversity in life," NT Children's Commissioner Shahleena Musk said.
"The data analysed in this report shows a high proportion of children in care are not safe in care.
"Too often they are harmed by the very people entrusted to care for them."
The report found Aboriginal children represent an overwhelming majority of children harmed while in care.
In the NT, First Nations children currently account for around 90 per cent of children living in out-of-home care.
Across the two years analysed, at least 80 per cent of children harmed while living in care were Aboriginal.
“Removing a child from their family is one of the most significant decisions the state can make," Commissioner Musk said.
"The system must be able to demonstrate that children placed in care are kept safe, supported and protected from further harm.”
Purchased home-based care a key issue
The report sets out seven "tiers" of recommendations, including the continued phase-out of Purchased Home Based Care (PHBC).
Under the PHBC model, the NT government pays for a child to be cared for by a day-care provider, specialised agency or private caregiver.
A high proportion of children harmed are in PHBC, the report found.
Phasing out PHBC was a key recommendation of the 2017 NT Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children.
The report called for NT Department of Children and Families to act on its previously stated commitment to do so within the next 12 months.
In a statement responding to the report and recommendations, a spokesperson from the department said due to high demand, reliance on the PHBC model will continue.
"Demand for out-of-home care placements continues to exceed the capacity of the foster and kinship care system," the spokesperson said.
"Purchased Home Based Care currently provides both general and specialist placements and has played an important role in meeting immediate placement demand."
Response delays
The report also outlines significant delays in investigation responses, and failures to adequately monitor, record, and act on safety and well-being concerns.
Across the two reporting years between 2023 to 2025, only one of the 75 substantiated harm-in-care investigations was completed within the department's mandated 42-day period.
Of those, only one of ten priority investigations (the most urgent cases) commenced within 24 hours.
The report describes a near-universal non-compliance with the Department of Children and Families' own response timeframes, meaning children remained in unsafe placements for extended periods.
“It is of significant concern to me that the Department of Children and Families continue to experience serious failures in quality data capture, reporting and performance management," Commissioner Musk said.
Reform underway
The report comes amid sweeping reforms announced for the NT's child protection system.
Last month, NT Minister for Child Protection Robyn Cahill announced the Northern Territory Government will amend child protection legislation to list child safety as the primary consideration when assessing whether to remove children from their families "regardless of background".
The proposed changes have drawn sharp criticism from more than 330 organisations who argue the overhaul will see more children placed in care.
Critics also claim the changes will undermine the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle — a nationally recognised framework that aims to prevent unnecessary child removals and priorities placing First Nations children with family or kin when separations occur.
In a statement responding to the report, a spokesperson for the NT Department of Children and Families The Department said any harm to children in their care is "unacceptable".
"We are deeply committed to doing everything within our power to keep children and young people safe, to support families to stay strong and together wherever possible, and to strengthen the care system where it falls short," the spokesperson said.
"We are considering options to strengthen and align our approach to out-of-home care reform, including the development of a clearer roadmap for system change.
"This work is intended to inform future decisions about sequencing, workforce implications, alternative care models and risk management to support safe and stable outcomes for children and young people."
