Saved from ice homes

MORE than 153 Gold Coast region kids needed protection from their ice-using parents in the year to March – up from 142 the previous year – new data shows.

Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said the children suffered from one or both of their parents using methamphetamine.

“The data shows the majority of children where parental ice use was recorded the parent had only recently started abusing the drug,” she said.

The Minister said “key measures” had improved for the third consecutive quarter, although only 38.6 per cent of investigations began within the recommended time frames, up from 37 per cent.

The number of investigations in the region rose from 3489 to 3918, with more than 90 per cent of “most urgent” cases seen within 24 hours.