NGOs to help with Qld's kids in care woes Queensland will look to non-government organisations to rescue the state's child protection system. THE Queensland government will look to non-government organisations to help cut the number of kids in the state's child protection system. The government will implement most of the 121 recommendations flowing from the Carmody commission of inquiry, which found the system was under significant stress. It said it was failing to ensure the safety, wellbeing and best interests of children as it should or could. It pointed to a system struggling under the weight of its workload, with the number of kids in out-of-home care doubling over the past decade, and children staying in care for longer. The inquiry said efforts must be refocused on supporting families so more children could stay in their homes. It said government intervention should be a last resort to protect children at risk of significant harm. On Monday, the Newman government said it would pursue those objectives and pointed to an expanded role for non-government organisations. The government will still respond to the most serious cases of maltreatment. But there'll be new strategies to deal with lower-level situations, with non-government organisations to be engaged to work with troubled families on early intervention programs. The government has also agreed to look at whether NGOs can play an expanded role in case management, and casework for children in the protection system. The government will also formally back the adoption of toddlers from troubled homes under the sweeping changes, Child Safety Minister Tracy Davis said. It was vital that children who had little hope of returning to a safe family environment, have the chance to bond with other families, Ms Davis said. Changes flowing from the inquiry were vast, and that's why the government had set out a 10-year roadmap, she said. The government has also committed to review the cases of children who've been in the care of a guardian for less than six months, to see if ongoing out-of-home care is warranted. And it will end the mandatory reporting of domestic violence incidents in homes where children are present, because it's putting too much pressure on the system. The government will also set up regional child protection service committees, to ensure local services are meeting local needs. There are currently 8000 children in state care in Queensland, more than the state's adult prison population, the report said.