This report presents child protection data from March to September 2020 (covering the ‘first wave’ of COVID-19 restrictions for Australia, and part of the ‘second wave’ of restrictions for Victoria) with comparisons to the same period in 2019.

This article explores the policy context and outcomes of the November 2020 announcement by the State (Labour Party) Government of Victoria in Australia that it would extend out-of-home care (OOHC) on a universal basis until 21 years of age starting 1 January 2021.

For young people in Western Australia, State-funded out-of-home care ends once those in care, as it does in most states and territories in Australia, according to this article. However, "there are currently 14 young people in care in WA engaged in a trial that continues support until they turn 21."

This policy analysis examines the impact of COVID-19 policy guidance on the role of workers who provide outreach to transition-age care leavers.

"Victorian Minister for Child Protection Luke Donnellan announced $11.6 million for a national first pilot program which empowers Aboriginal-led teams to respond to child protection reports," says this article from the National Indigenous Times.

According to this article from the Guardian, a "royal commission into abuse in state care is investigating historic abuse of children, young adults and vulnerable adults by state-run institutions [in New Zealand] between 1950 and 1999, as well as in affiliated religious institutions, such as church-run orphanages."

This article describes results from the second part of an Australian research project that explored the prevalence, experiences and support needs of kinship carers aged 18–30 years through interviews with 41 kinship carers.

"While orphanages no longer exist in Western Australia, thousands of traumatised children live in out-of-home care in what some child protection staff call 'hidden' residential institutions," says this article from WA Today.

With young people at the centre, this inquiry examines the needs and aspirations of young people leaving care and the capacity of the service system to respond to those needs and aspirations. The report makes 15 recommendation to enhance the service system’s capacity to improve the experiences and life outcomes for young people transitioning from care by responding to their needs, challenges and aspirations.

"At least a third of young people end up homeless within three years after leaving the out-of-home care system, a Victorian inquiry has found," says this article from the Guardian.