FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK:
CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER
Commemorating National Child Protection Week (6-12 September), Save the Children Australia
believes that early intervention in child protection cases to support families, better co-ordination
between Federal and State Governments and broader education about child protection services
would help eradicate child abuse in Australia.
“Many Australians would be shocked to learn that every two minutes an incident of child abuse or
neglect is reported in our country – but it is a frightening reality that shouldn’t be happening,” said
Suzanne Dvorak, CEO of Save the Children Australia. “It’s time to put an end to child abuse.”
A recent report by The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare¹ found that the number of
children on care and protection orders continues to rise nationally. Other key findings of the
research include:
Children aged under one year were most likely to be the subject of abuse, neglect or
harm.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were clearly over-represented in the child
protection system, with Indigenous children aged 0–16 years more than six times as likely
to be the subject of substantiations than other children.
The rate of Indigenous children in out-of-home care was almost nine times the rate of
other children.
The number of children in out-of-home care, mainly foster care, rose by almost 115% in
the decade to June 2008: from 14,470 at 30 June 1998 to 31,166 at 30 June 2008.
In New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital
Territory, the most common type of maltreatment was emotional abuse. In the Northern
Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia the most common type of maltreatment was
neglect.
“Through Save the Children Australia’s Future Parents Program, young adults are educated about
child health, safety and practical skills to care for younger children,” said Ms Dvorak.
“Save the Children supports the National Child Protection Framework, which provides an
integrated response from Federal and State Governments in tackling the broader problem of child
abuse.
“Early intervention aimed at supporting families and preventing child abuse incidences, combined
with education about health, counselling and housing support services, would help thousands of
Australian children and spare them from the over-burdened statutory care system.”
Save the Children Australia operates programs in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The organisation also supports development programs through the International Save
the Children Alliance, which works in more than 100 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. For more information,
For media enquiries or to arrange an interview with Save the Children Australia’s Child
Rights Specialist, contact Annie Lawson - 0437 355 096
1
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2009. Child protection Australia 2007–08. Child welfare
series no.45 Cat. no. CWS 33. Canberra: AIHW.
NEWS 
