Report profiles
Child protection Australia 2011–12
Child protection Australia 2011–12 is the AIHW's 16th annual comprehensive report on child protection. It provides detailed statistical information on state and territory child protection and support services, and some of the characteristics of the children receiving these services.
Substantiated child abuse and neglect has increased
Over the past 12 months, the number of children who were the subject of substantiations increased from 31,527 to 37,781 (6.1 to 7.4 per 1,000 children). This increase was found across most jurisdictions and could be influenced by a range of factors including legislative changes, enhanced public awareness and inquiries into child protection processes, along with increases in abuse and neglect. This is a reversal of the previous downward trend where the rate of children who were the subject of substantiations decreased from 6.5 per 1,000 children in 2007–08 to 6.1 in 2011–12.
Very young children are most likely to be the subject of substantiated abuse and neglect
In 2011–12, children aged under 1 year were most likely to be the subject of a substantiation (13.2 per 1,000 children) and those aged 15–17 were least likely (3.2 per 1,000 children). Over the past 12 months, the rate of children aged under 1 year who were the subject of a substantiation increased from 12.0 to 13.2 per 1,000 children.
The number of children admitted to and discharged from care and protection orders has increased
Over the past 12 months, the number of children discharged from orders increased by 27%—from 7,480 in 2010 –11 to 9,478 in 2011–12. This compares with a smaller (3%) increase in the number of children admitted to orders over the same period— from 13,830 to 14,191. Of these, about two-fifths (39%) had previously been admitted to an order. Almost half (45%) of children admitted to orders were aged under 5.
The majority of children in out-of-home care were placed for more than a year
At 30 June 2012, there were 39,621 children in out-of-home care (a rate of 7.7 per 1,000 children). This rate was an increase from 2011 when 7.3 per 1,000 children were in out-of-home care at 30 June. In 2012, almost 1 in 5 (19%) children had been in their current placement for less than 1 year. Almost one-third (30%) had been in a continuous placement for between 2 and 5 years, while a further 38% had been in a continuous placement for 5 years or more. Most (90%) children in out-of-home care were on care and protection orders.
More than half of foster carer households had multiple foster children
During 2011–12, there were 11,664 foster carer households and more than 12,278 relative/kinship households that had 1 or more children placed with them. At 30 June 2012, 49% of foster carer households with a placement had 1 child placed with them; 46% had between 2 and4 foster children and 4% had 5 or more.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be over-represented
In 2011–12, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were almost 8 times as likely to be the subject of substantiated child abuse and neglect as non-Indigenous children (rates of 41.9 and 5.4 per 1,000 children, respectively).
Serious childhood community injury in New South Wales 2009–10
This report provides summary data on hospitalised injury in New South Wales children and young people (0–17) for the period 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. It also provides information on trends in injury between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2010.
More than 23,000 children and young people (0–17) were hospitalised in 2009–10 as a result of an injury. Roughly equal numbers of boys and girls were hospitalised under the age of 5. There were more boys hospitalised than girls aged 5–14.A total of 31 children died in hospital over this period as a result of injury, mainly transport-related.
The age-standardised injury rate of children and young people was just over 1,460 per 100,000 population. The rate of injury for males was 1,864 per 100,000 population and increased with age. In contrast, the rate of injury in females was 1,036 per 100,000. Similar rates were observed in the different age groups.
Causes of injury
Falls were the most commonly reported cause of hospitalised injury (39% of cases). Transport injuries were also common (14%). The most frequent cause of hospitalised falls involved playground equipment.
Age differences
Falls in the home were a frequent cause of injury for children aged 4 and under. Injury associated with burns, accidental poisoning by pharmaceuticals and drowning were also much more common in very young children. Transport injuries accounted for 20% of hospitalisations in young people aged 15–17. While pedal cycles were the most commonly reported cause of hospitalised transport injury for children aged 0−14, motorcycle rider injuries were more common in young people aged 15–17.
Sex differences
Males were more likely to be hospitalised because of transport accidents, falls and assault while females were more likely to be hospitalised for intentional self-harm injuries.
Trends over time
Significant declines in hospitalised injury since 1999 were seen in rates for poisoning by pharmaceuticals (average 6% decline per year) and poisoning by other substances (4% decline per year). Smaller but significant declines were also noted for drowning (3%), transport injuries (2%) and assault (2%).
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