AUSTRALIA PAYING THE PRICE OF DELAY: NEW REPORT FINDS $22.3 BILLION SPENT TOO LATE ON CHILDREN

Government spending on crisis services for children and young people has surged 47% in just six years, reaching $22.3 billion annually, according to new research that exposes the mounting cost of Australia’s failure to support children early enough.

The 2025 Cost of Late Intervention (COLI) report, released today by The Front Project, shows that annual spending on emergency responses – including child protection, youth justice and acute mental health services – has ballooned from $15.2 billion in 2019.

The Parenthood’s CEO, Georgie Dent, said the findings highlight a fundamental flaw in Australia’s approach.

“This report makes painfully clear that our current system waits for children to reach crisis point before support is provided. It is costing us billions – and it is costing children their futures,” Ms Dent said.

“Every dollar spent on late intervention represents a child and a family who were left to struggle until things tipped into crisis. That is not just a fiscal failure – it is a moral one.”

Ms Dent said the solution lies in building foundational supports into universal, community-based services that families can trust – including a high-quality, affordable early learning and care system, maternal and child health services, and supported playgroups.

“We know what works. Universal, inclusive, quality early education helps children start school ready to thrive, reduces school absence, improves long-term wellbeing and lessens the likelihood of later contact with child protection or youth justice. Integrated with regular health checks and accessible family supports, it can prevent problems compounding and reduce the demand for crisis services.”

Despite recent Federal Government investments in early intervention, Ms Dent warned that access to early learning and care remains patchy and inequitable.

“Right now, access to early learning depends too much on where a child lives or their family’s circumstances. That must change,” she said.

“There are positive signs. We know that Prime Minister Albanese is committed to developing a universal quality early learning and care system in Australia, and the Federal Government has made several investments in early intervention provisions recently.

“We have a clear choice: keep spending billions after children have already fallen through the cracks or we invest earlier and smarter — in the community-based services families use and trust, with the supports that help children before they hit crisis.”