The 4-10th of September is National Child Protection Week. As stated on the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) website, “In 2022, National Child Protection Week will continue to embrace the overarching message that every child, in every community, needs a fair go. ” This week brings awareness and action to what works to keep children safe and supported.
Below are some statistics from the NAPCAN website about child abuse and neglect, from the 2019-20 report:
- 1-in-32 children received child protection services in 2019-20, with 67% being repeat clients
- Over the 5-year period between 2012-13 and 2016-17, the number of children receiving child protection services rose by about 25%
- 174,000 children (1-in-32) had an investigation, care, and protection order and/or were placed in out-of-home care
- 30,600 children have been in out-of-home care for more than 12 years
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be over-represented. 1-in-6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children received child protection services
- Nationally, emotional abuse was the most common primary type of abuse or neglect substantiated for children (54%), followed by neglect (22%), physical (14%), and sexual abuse (9%)
- Children from geographically remote areas had the highest rates of substantiations. Children from very remote areas were more than 3 times as likely as those from major cities to be the subject of a substantiation
We know that too many children are not growing up safe and supported and that Child Protection systems are overloaded. There are many opportunities to change the trajectory for these children. We can stop child abuse and neglect – and reduce its impact – by working together to make sure every child in every community has a fair go.
