Summary
Child protection Australia 2015–16 is the 20th annual comprehensive report on child protection. This report includes detailed statistical information on state and territory child protection and support services, and some of the characteristics of children receiving these services.
Key findings for 2015–16
1 in 33 children received child protection services, with 73% being repeat clients
162,175 (1 in 33) children had an investigation, care and protection order and/or were placed in out-of-home care.
Rates for children in substantiations, on care and protection orders, and in out-of-home care continued to rise
Between 2011–12 and 2015–16, rates per 1,000 children:
- in substantiations rose from 7.4 to 8.5
- on orders rose from 7.9 to 9.6
- in out-of-home care rose from 7.7 to 8.6.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continued to be over-represented
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were 7 times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have received child protection services.
Emotional abuse and neglect were the most common primary and co-occurring types of substantiated abuse and neglect
Children from geographically remote areas had the highest rates of substantiations
Children from Very remote areas were 4 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation.
Most children in relative/kinship placements were with grandparents
48% of children in relative/kinship placements were placed with grandparents at 30 June 2016.
Large proportions of carer households had multiple children placed
52% of foster carer households and 40% of relative/kinship carer households had more than 1 child placed with them at 30 June 2016.
Summary
1. Introduction
- Child protection overview
- Child protection data components
2. Children receiving child protection services
- Overview and key statistics
- Child protection services received
- Characteristics of children receiving child protection services
- National trends
3. Notifications, investigations and substantiations
- Overview and key statistics
- Cases and the children involved
- National trends
4. Care and protection orders
- Overview and key statistics
- Types of orders issued
- Children admitted to, and discharged from, orders
- Children on orders
- National trends
5. Out-of-home care
- Overview and key statistics
- Children admitted to, and discharged from, out-of-home care
- Children in out-of-home care
- National trends
6. Carers
- Overview and key statistics
- Foster carer households
- Relative/kinship carer households
7. Intensive family support services
- Overview and key statistics
- Children commencing services
Appendix A: Technical note
Appendix B: Mandatory reporting requirements
Appendix C: Legislation
Appendix D: Policy and practice differences in states and territories
Appendix E: Recent state and territory policy changes
Appendix F: Relevant changes in jurisdictions' data systems
Appendix G: Inquiries into child protection services
End matter: Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Symbols; Glossary; References; List of tables; List of figures; List of boxes; Related publications