STATISTICS
Child Protection Australia 1998-99 shows
that while the number of child protection substantiations increased slightly
in some States, the total number across Australia fell slightly compared
with the previous year.
The rates of children, aged 0 to 16 years, who
were the subject of a child protection substantiation ranged from 1.1 per
1,000 children in Tasmania to 6.3 per 1,000 in Victoria. Much of this variation
reflects differences in child protection policy and practices across States
and Territories.
As at 30 June 1999, 17,811 children were on care
and protection orders in Australia. This is an increase on the number of
children on care and protection orders at 30 June 1998. Overall, 3.8 per
1,000 children were on care and protection orders in Australia at 30 June
1999.
Of the 8,487 children admitted to care and protection
orders across Australia during 1998-99, 42% were aged under 5 years, and
13% aged less than 1 year.
Report author, Helen Johnstone, said that there
were 15,674 children in out-of-home care at 30 June 1999, of whom 88% were
in home-based care.
'Indigenous children were over-represented among
children in child protection substantiations, on care and protection orders
and in out-of-home care,' Ms Johnstone said.
'In Western Australia and South Australia, Indigenous
children were five times more likely than other Australian children to
be the subject of a child protection substantiation.
'And in New South Wales, Indigenous children were
8 times more likely than other children to be on a care and protection
order and 9 times more likely to be in out-of-home care.
'Many reasons have been put forward for this over-representation.
Among them are poverty, unemployment, parental health problems, and a possible
lack of adequate support services for Indigenous families.'
Canberra, 16 May 2000
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