Queensland's child-death register has recorded the highest number in five years of children known to child protection services who died, according to preliminary 2025–26 figures.
The Queensland Family and Child Commission reported that 91 children known to the child protection system died during the financial year. That was up from 57 a year earlier, an increase of 59.6 per cent.
Across Queensland, 452 children died during 2025–26. The preliminary breakdown recorded 312 deaths from natural causes and 94 from external causes, including transport incidents and other non-intentional injuries. A child's prior contact with child protection services does not by itself establish the cause or circumstances of a death.
The commission maintains the Queensland Child Death Register to identify patterns and support prevention. Its review recommended improvements to coronial data collection, including recording the school attended by a child, to help agencies identify systemic issues. The report also noted continuing risks from quad bikes in rural communities and severe nutritional deficiencies linked to highly restricted diets.
Sources: Queensland Family and Child Commission and ABC News report.
Image disclosure: The featured image is an AI-generated conceptual editorial illustration. It does not depict any child, family or case covered by the report.
