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

The number of children in out-of-home care remained relatively stable between March to September 2020 Notifications to child protection services fell during the first wave of COVID-19 and increased once restrictions eased Risk factors for child abuse/neglect increased during COVID-19 - financial hardship, housing stress & poor mental health 30,300 children have been in out-of-home care for 2 years or more 68% of children who received child protection services were repeat clients Children from Very remote areas are 3 times as likely as those from Major cities to be the subject of a substantiation 1 in 33 children received child protection services

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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 2018–19
68%of children receiving 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
92%of children in out-of-home care were in home-based care with a foster or relative/kinship carer
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderchildren were 8 times as likely as non-Indigenous children to have received child protection services.
Emotional abusewas the most common type of abuse substantiated (54%)
13%of children in out-of-home care exited to a permanency outcome
Over 1 in 3 childrenwho were the subject of a substantiation were from the lowest socioeconomic areas