Child protection Australia 2022–23

Notifications are the entry point for children into the child protection system. The notification triggers an intake process where child protection workers evaluate the notification and determine what action to take. An investigation occurs when a notification of alleged maltreatment meets the threshold for further action. At the conclusion of the investigation, the case manager will make a substantiation decision. An assessment of substantiation is made when a threshold of harm or potential harm is met.

Due to differences in the way jurisdictions collect and report on notifications, investigations and substantiations, data are not comparable between jurisdictions. Refer to Appendices for more information on differences in jurisdictions’ policy and practice.

Refer to The process of determining child maltreatment section of Child protection Australia (CPA) 2022–23: Insights for more information on notifications, investigations and substantiations.

How many notification assessment decisions were made?

When a notification is received, the relevant department or agency will begin a process to determine the level of assistance it should provide for the child who was the subject of the notification. In keeping with the prevention element of the ATSICPP, departments respect the rights of children to be brought up in their families, ensuring that families have equitable access to quality support services. This includes having alternative intake and referral pathways to early intervention prior to families being investigated by the child protection system.

Refer to Appendices for more information on how notification assessment decisions are made across jurisdictions.

In 2022–23, child protection departments made an assessment decision for 137,200 notifications of alleged child maltreatment involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (Figure 1). Of these notifications, around 45% (62,400) were assessed as requiring an investigation. The remaining 55% (74,900) of notifications with an assessment decision were resolved without an investigation^*:

• 18% (25,000) did not require further action as the subject child was assessed as not being at risk of harm.
• 7.2% (9,900) required other involvement, such as cases where the family needs were still being assessed and a case plan was being developed.
• 5.6% (7,700) were provided with advice or referred to another agency.

Source: CPA 2022–23: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, data table 10.1

*Excludes New South Wales and Tasmania, where notifications cannot be differentiated by some or all assessment decisions.

Figure 1: Notifications made about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children for which an assessment decision has been made, by notification assessment decision

What types of maltreatment were substantiated?

In 2022–23, around 13,600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were the subject of an assessment of substantiated maltreatment.

Sources: CPA 2022–23: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, data table 10.2

For substantiated maltreatment, the ‘primary’ type of maltreatment is considered the most severe or most likely to place the child at risk of harm in the short term. If more than one type of maltreatment has occurred, those not classified as the ‘primary’ type are classified as ‘other’ type. A child can have multiple or no ‘other’ types of maltreatment.

In 2022–23, emotional abuse was the most common type of primary abuse (52% or 7,100) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were the subject of a substantiation assessment. Of the children who primarily experienced emotional abuse, the other types were:

• 23% (1,600) neglect
• 21% (1,500) physical abuse
• 1.9% (135) sexual abuse.

Source: CPA 2022–23: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, data table 10.2

Emotional abuse was also the most common other type of abuse for all other primary types of maltreatment.

• For children with a primary substantiation of physical abuse, 48% (770) also had emotional abuse as other type of maltreatment.
• For children with a primary substantiation of neglect, 37% (1,500) also had emotional abuse as other type of maltreatment.
• For children with a primary substantiation of sexual abuse, 17% (165) also had emotional abuse as other type of maltreatment.

Source: CPA 2022–23: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, data table 10.2

Sexual abuse was both the least common primary type of abuse (7.1% or 960), and the least common other type of abuse for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

• For children with physical abuse substantiations, 2.9% (47) had sexual abuse as other type of maltreatment.
• For children with neglect substantiations, 2.2% (86) had sexual abuse as other type of maltreatment.
• For children with emotional abuse substantiations, 1.9% (135) had sexual abuse as other type of maltreatment.

Source: CPA 2022–23: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, data table 10.2

Figure 2: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with a substantiated maltreatment assessment in 2022–23, by primary type of abuse or neglect and other types of abuse or neglect