Child and family

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4. Investigation and assessment phase
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5. Substantiations

Graphs

Number of notifications and substantiations, Queensland, 2015-16 to 2019-20

Rate of children subject to a substantiation, per 1,000 children aged 0-17 years, by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, Queensland, 2015-16 to 2019-20

Proportion of substantiations, by primary source of notification, Queensland, 2019-20

 Number of children subject to a substantiation, by most serious harm type, Queensland, 2015-16 to 2019-20

Tables

Table notes

What is a substantiation?

Abuse is an action against a child that causes harm. Harm refers to any detrimental effect of a significant nature on the child's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm can be caused by physical, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse or exploitation.

An investigation and assessment can have an outcome of substantiated where it is assessed that a child or young person has suffered, is suffering, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering future, significant harm. A substantiated outcome can be:

• Substantiated - Child in need of protection – a child has suffered, is suffering, or is at unacceptable risk of suffering future significant harm and there is no parent able and willing to protect them.   

          OR

• Substantiated - Child not in need of protection - where there is no unacceptable risk of future significant harm (but harm occurred in the past), and there is a parent able and willing to protect them.

Why this topic is important

Children who are harmed or neglected, including those who witness domestic and family violence, often exhibit emotional, cognitive, and behavioural problems. These can include:

• depression
• suicidal behaviour
• difficulty in school
• use of alcohol and other drugs
• early sexual activity

Without proper support, abuse and neglect can have long term impacts on children and young people. Research has shown that children and young people who have experienced abuse can have poorer outcomes in regards to their health, education and adult relationships.

When children have been assessed as in need of protection, they and their families may be referred to therapeutic services to address their needs, as part of ongoing intervention.

Trends

In 2019-20, the department recorded 7,022 substantiations relating to 6,551 children. Of the 7,022 substantiations, 4,717 were substantiated - in need of protection and 2,305 were substantiated - not in need of protection.

The number of substantiations recorded increased by 8.1 per cent from 6,494 in 2018-19 to 7,022 in 2019-20.

Since 2015-16, the number of substantiations recorded by the department increased by 14.9 per cent from 6,113 to 7,022 in 2019-20. Over the same period, the number of children subject to a substantiation increased by 8.0 per cent from 5,627 to 6,551.

Between 2015-16 and 2019-20 the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children subject to a substantiation increased by 26.0 per cent (from 1,925 in 2015-16 to 2,425 in 2019-20). The number of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children subject to a substantiation also increased by 11.5 per cent over the same period, from 3,702 in 2015-16 to 4,126 in 2019-20.