Child protection

For free legal help:

Legal Aid Queensland 
Phone1300 65 11 88 (for the cost of a local call from a landline in Australia)
www.legalaid.qld.gov.au

Community Legal Centres Queensland 
Phone 07 3392 0092 
www.communitylegalqld.org.au

Or look under “Community Legal Centres” in your local phone book.

For free advice and help for parents:

Parentline 
Phone 1300 30 1300 
www.parentline.com.au

If you need an interpreter to help you contact a service phone TIS 131 450

Activity sheets for this story:

• Child protection — for students(PDF, 45KB)
• Child protection — for teachers(PDF, 49KB)

Video transcript

Title: Child protection and parenting

Meena: I’m going to work now.
Children: But mum it’s the school holidays! We want to go to the movies.
Meena: I know but I have to go to work.
Meena: I’ll be home at 4 o’clock. There’s your lunch in the fridge. Be good, and DON’T go out or open the door to anyone. I’ll call you from work.
Children: Bye mummy.
Meena: Meena! Mareem! What’s happened?
Susan: Hi Meena, don’t worry the children are at my place. I saw them playing on the street.
Meena: Oh no!
Susan: It’s ok. I took them to my place. They’re watching TV.
Meena: Oh sorry. I told them to stay inside – I will have to beat them to teach them to listen.
Susan: I don’t think that’s a good idea.
Susan: They’re too young to understand Meena. If you hurt them, someone will report you to the police and child protection.
Meena: But they’re my children, it’s not the government’s business—or anyone else’s!
Susan: Child protection’s job is to protect children. They will come if they think children are in serious danger.
Meena: OK, OK, I won’t beat them, but what can I do? I have to work. There’s no one to stay with them. They must obey me and stay at home.
Susan: Well that’s another problem: the children are too young to stay alone. Child protection will look at that too.
Meena: What can I do? I have to work.
Susan: Well, I can look after them sometimes. Have you thought about child care? Can anyone else help you?
Meena: Thanks Susan, it’s so hard here in Australia. You know I’ve got no family here.
Susan : Can you call some of your friends? Look, come in for a cup of tea and we can talk about it.

Last updated 18 June 2020