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.

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Latest findings

67% of children who received child protection services were repeat clients

1 in 32 children received child protection services

Children from Very remote areas are 3 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation

46% of children abused in care were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Physical abuse was the most common type of abuse (32%)

1,442 children were the subject of a substantiation of abuse in care

Highlights

Emotional abusewas the most common type of abuse or neglect (54%)
1 in 32children received child protection services (investigation, care and protection order and/or were in out-of-home care) in 2019–20
67% of childrenreceiving child protection services were repeat clients
Childrenfrom Very remote areas were 3 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation
63% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderchildren in out-of-home care were living with relatives, kin or other Indigenous caregivers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderchildren were almost 8 times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have received child protection services
92%of children in out-of-home care were in home-based care