Forde Inquiry

In August 1998, the Queensland Government established the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions to examine whether there had been any abuse, mistreatment or neglect of children in Queensland institutions. The inquiry, known as the Forde Inquiry, found that unsafe, improper and unlawful care or treatment of children has occurred in Queensland institutions.

The Forde Inquiry resulted in the following series of reports:

• The Forde Inquiry report was tabled in Parliament on 8 June 1999 and contained 42 recommendations concerning contemporary child protection, youth justice, the Commission for Children and Young People and issues relating to former residents of state and church run institutions.
• The Queensland Government's response to the recommendations of the Forde Inquiry was released in August 1999.
• The Forde Implementation Monitoring Committee presented two reports to the Government which were tabled in Parliament outlining the progress that had been made in the Government's implementation of the recommendations of the Forde Inquiry.
• The Queensland Government's second and final response to the Forde Inquiry recommendations was tabled in Parliament on 11 September 2001.

In response to the Forde Inquiry recommendations, there have been many changes in the areas of child protection, youth justice and redressing of past abuse.

The Forde Inquiry recommendations, which relate specifically to the redress of past abuse, include the establishment of a reconciliation process and the development of a number of initiatives to assist former child residents of Queensland state and church run institutions and those in foster care.

Access the Forde inquiry publications.