Overview

In Australia, statutory child protection is the responsibility of state and territory governments. Departments responsible for child protection provide assistance to vulnerable children who are suspected of being abused, neglected or harmed, or whose parents are unable to provide adequate care or protection.

More reports and statistics on child protection can be found under Adoptions and Children & youth.

Latest findings

Half of children in relative/kinship placements (48%) were living with their grandparents 1 in 33 children received child protection services 32,600 children have been in out-of-home care for 2 years or more 94% of children in out-of-home care were in home-based care with a foster or relative/kinship carer 74% of children who received child protection services were repeat clients 73% of children who received child protection services were repeat clients Emotional abuse was the most common type of abuse substantiated (45%) 1 in 3 children who were the subject of a substantiation were from the lowest socioeconomic areas 1 in 32 children received child protection services Children from Very remote areas are 4 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation

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Highlights

1 in 33children received child protection services (investigation, care and protection order and /or were in out-of-home care) in 2015–16
73%of children who received child protection services were repeat clients
1 in 3children who were the subject of a substantiation were from the lowest socioeconomic areas
Halfof children in relative/kinship placements (48%) were living with their grandparents
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderchildren were 7 times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have received child protection services
Emotional abusewas the most common type of abuse substantiated (45%)
94%of children in out-of-home care were in home-based care with a foster or relative/kinship carer
Childrenfrom Very remote areas were 4 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation