Case 6: Office of the Public Guardian helps children to raise human rights arguments about their placement

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The Office of the Public Guardian, a statutory office established to protect the rights and wellbeing of certain adults, children and young people, used the Queensland Human Rights Act in connection with the placement of two siblings in family-based care. The siblings were originally placed with the same family when one was moved to an alternative placement. Following this, and in speaking with the siblings, it became apparent that they were not having regular contact with each other. The Public Guardian considered this was contrary to the children’s rights under the Human Rights Act. After informal advocacy was not successful, the Public Guardian lodged a formal human rights complaint highlighting how the failure to ensure regular contact between the siblings breached the children’s human rights.

Source: The First Annual Report on the Operation of Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019-20, p. 113.