Figures 2.1–2.5 plot the rates of each headline indicator for the five-year period 2000–01 to 2005–06, while tables 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.10 and 2.11 contain the rates and raw figures for each indicator over this same time. As can be seen from Figures 2.1–2.3, although the rates of total notifications, investigations and substantiations varied markedly across jurisdictions, on the whole, rates for each of these indicators increased over the past five years. Table 2.9 contains ratios of rates of total notifications to rates of total investigations, and ratios of rates of total investigations to rates of total substantiations for each jurisdiction for the reporting periods 2000–01 to 2005–06 (inclusive). As can be seen from this table, there are some striking differences across jurisdictions in the proportion of notifications that proceed to investigation, and the proportion of investigations that are substantiated. These differences point to policy, practice and threshold differences across jurisdictions—all of which are considered in Chapter 11. In contrast, as can be seen from Figures 2.4 and 2.5 there was less variation evident in the rates of children on orders and in of-home care across Australian jurisdictions. Nonetheless, the rates of children on orders and in out-of-home care on the whole increased over the past five years.7
Table 2.6: The rates and raw figures of total notifications in each state and territory during the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Total notifications 2000–01 to 2005–06
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate
ACT 794 10.6 801 10.8 2,124 28.9 5,325 73.5 7,275 101.6 8,064 113.3
NSW 40,937 26.9 55,208 36.3 109,498 72.3 115,541 76.4 133,636 88.7 152,806 101.7
NT 1,551 27.3 1,605 28.3 1,554 28.7 1,957 34.7 2,101 37.3 2,863 50.4
Qld 22,069 25.3 27,592 31.3 31,068 34.8 35,023 38.8 40,829 44.8 33,612 36.4
SA 9,988 29.9 11,203 33.7 13,442 40.8 14,917 45.5 17,473 53.7 15,069 46.5
Tas 315 2.8 508 4.5 741 6.7 7,248 65.3 10,788 97.7 13,029 118.2
Vic 36,966 34.0 37,976 34.8 37,635 34.5 36,956 33.9 37,523 34.3 37,987 34.7
WA 2,851 6.2 3,045 6.7 2,293 5.0 2,417 5.3 3,206 7.0 3,315 7.2
Note: Rate = Rate per 1,000 children
7 Note that this chapter considers shared trends only and provides some contextual and historical information in relation to observed shared trends. Differences in the rate of headline indicators within jurisdictions are discussed in detail in chapters specific to each state and territory in Section 2 of the report (i.e., Chapters 3–10). Differences across jurisdictions in the rate of each headline indicator (e.g., the way in which some jurisdictions exhibit substantially larger rates of certain indicators relative to other jurisdictions, and the way in which some jurisdictions appear to cluster around certain rates) are discussed in detail in Chapter 11 of the report.
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Period
Rate per 1000 children
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA
Figure 2.1: The rate of total notifications in each state and territory during the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Table 2.7: The rates and raw figures of total investigations in each state and territory during the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Total investigations 2000–01 to 2005–06
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate
ACT 684 9.2 650 8.8 1,247 17.0 2,378 32.8 3,017 42.1 3,292 46.2
NSW* 25,292 16.6 33,618 22.1 45,265 29.9 n/a n/a 58,572 38.9 75,980 50.6
NT 769 13.5 835 14.7 890 16.4 1,072 19.0 1,180 20.9 1,195 21.1
Qld 18,122 20.8 23,034 26.1 26,187 29.3 29,315 32.5 35,361 38.8 33,612 36.4
SA 5,156 15.4 5,633 17.0 6,175 18.7 6,445 19.7 6,279 19.3 4,842 14.9
Tas 278 2.5 453 4.0 641 5.8 1,294 11.7 1,833 16.6 3,824 34.7
Vic 13,205 12.1 13,211 12.1 12,769 11.7 12,259 11.2 11,888 10.9 11,894 10.9
WA 2,759 6.0 2,937 6.4 2,208 4.8 2,318 5.1 3,162 6.9 3,190 6.9
Note: * New South Wales implemented a new information recording system during the period 2003/04, and thus were unable to extract data for investigations in this reporting period.
Rate = Rate per 1,000 children
Table 2.8: The rates and raw figures of total substantiations in each jurisdiction for the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Total substantiations 2000–01 to 2005–06
2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate
ACT 222 3.0 220 3.0 310 4.2 630 8.7 1,213 16.9 1,277 17.9
NSW* 7,501 4.9 8,606 5.7 16,765 11.1 n/a n/a 15,493 10.3 29,809 19.8
NT 349 6.1 349 6.1 327 6.0 527 9.4 473 8.4 480 8.5
Qld 8,395 9.6 10,036 11.4 12,203 13.7 17,473 19.4 17,307 19.0 13,184 14.3
SA 1,998 6.0 2,230 6.7 2,423 7.4 2,490 7.6 2,384 7.3 1,855 5.7
Tas 103 0.9 158 1.4 213 1.9 427 3.8 782 7.1 793 7.2
Vic 7,608 7.0 7,687 7.1 7,287 6.7 7,412 6.8 7,398 6.8 7,563 6.9
WA 1,191 2.6 1,187 2.6 888 1.9 968 2.1 1,104 2.4 960 2.1
Note: * New South Wales implemented a new information recording system during the period 2003/04, and thus were unable to extract data for investigations in this reporting period.
Rate = Rate per 1,000 children 0.0
10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 Period
Rate per 1000 children
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA
Figure 2.2: The rate of total investigations in each state and territory during the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Table 2.9: Ratios of rates of total notifications to rates of total investigations, and rates of total investigations to rates of total substantiations, for each Australian jurisdiction for the period 2000–01 to 2005–06 Reporting
period Indicator ratios ACT NSW* NT Qld SA Tas Vic WA
2000–01 Notifications:
investigations 1.15: 1 1.62: 1 2.02: 1 1.22: 1 1.94: 1 1.12: 1 2.81: 1 1.03: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 3.07: 1 3.39: 1 2.21: 1 2.17: 1 2.57: 1 2.78: 1 1.73: 1 2.31: 1 2001–02 Notifications:
investigations 1.23: 1 1.64: 1 1.93: 1 1.20: 1 1.98: 1 1.13: 1 2.88: 1 1.05: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 2.93: 1 3.88: 1 2.41: 1 2.29: 1 2.54: 1 2.86: 1 1.70: 1 2.46: 1 2002–03 Notifications:
investigations 1.70: 1 2.42: 1 1.75: 1 1.19: 1 2.18: 1 1.16: 1 2.95: 1 1.04: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 4.05: 1 2.69: 1 2.73: 1 2.14: 1 2.53: 1 3.05: 1 1.75: 1 2.53: 1 2003–04 Notifications:
investigations 2.24: 1 n/a 1.83: 1 1.19: 1 2.31: 1 5.58: 1 3.03: 1 1.04: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 3.77: 1 n/a 2.02: 1 1.68: 1 2.59: 1 3.08: 1 1.65: 1 2.43: 1 2004–05 Notifications:
investigations 2.41: 1 2.28: 1 1.78: 1 1.15: 1 2.78: 1 5.82: 1 3.15: 1 1.01: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 2.49: 1 3.78: 1 2.49: 1 2.04: 1 2.64: 1 2.37: 1 1.60: 1 2.88: 1 2005–06 Notifications:
investigations 2.45: 1 2.01: 1 2.39: 1 1: 1 3.12: 1 3.41: 1 3.18: 1 1.04: 1 Investigations:
substantiations 2.58: 1 2.56: 1 2.48: 1 2.55: 1 2.61: 1 4.82: 1 1.58: 1 3.29: 1 Notes: * New South Wales implemented a new information recording system during the period 2003/04, and thus were unable to extract
data for investigations in this reporting period.
Ratios were calculated for each jurisdiction using the rates of total notifications, investigations and substantiations contained in Tables 2.6–2.8.
Ratios were rounded to two decimal places.
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06
Period Rate per 1000 children
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA
Figure 2.3: The rate of total substantiations in each state and territory during the period 2000–01 to 2005–06
Table 2.10: The rates and raw figures of children on orders at 30 June in each state and territory during the period 2001–2006
Children on orders at 30 June 2001–2006
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate
ACT 219 2.8 261 3.3 288 3.7 353 4.6 464 6.1 558 7.4
NSW* 8,105 5.1 8,229 5.1 8,975 5.6 n/a n/a 8,620 5.4 9,213 5.8
NT 205 3.4 194 3.2 274 4.6 345 5.8 414 7.0 437 7.3
Qld 3,573 3.9 3,765 4.0 4,107 4.3 4,950 5.2 5,857 6.0 6,446 6.5
SA 1,260 3.6 1,286 3.6 1,378 3.9 1,455 4.2 1,553 4.5 1,671 4.8
Tas 453 3.8 463 3.9 600 5.1 634 5.4 716 6.1 833 7.1
Vic 4,782 4.2 4,975 4.3 5,038 4.3 5,251 4.5 5,658 4.9 5,984 5.1
WA 1,320 2.7 1,384 2.8 1,470 3.0 1,639 3.4 1,783 3.7 2,046 4.2
Note: * New South Wales implemented a new information recording system during the period 2003/04, and thus were unable to extract data for investigations in this reporting period.
Rate = Rate per 1,000 children
Table 2.11: The rates and raw figures of children in out-of-home care at 30 June in each state and territory during the period 2001–2006
Children in out-of-home care at 30 June 2001–2006
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate Figure Rate
ACT 215 2.8 224 2.8 277 3.6 298 3.9 342 4.5 388 5.1
NSW 7,786 4.9 8,084 5.0 8,636 5.4 9,145 5.7 9,230 5.8 9,896 6.2
NT 164 2.7 163 2.7 223 3.8 258 4.3 324 5.5 352 5.9
Qld 3,011 3.3 3,257 3.5 3,787 4.0 4,413 4.6 5,657 5.8 5,876 6.0
SA 1,175 3.3 1,196 3.4 1,245 3.6 1,204 3.5 1,329 3.9 1,497 4.3
Tas 572 4.8 544 4.6 468 4.0 487 4.1 576 4.9 683 5.8
Vic 3,882 3.4 3,918 3.4 4,046 3.5 4,309 3.7 4,408 3.8 4,794 4.1
WA 1,436 3.0 1,494 3.1 1,615 3.3 1,681 3.5 1,829 3.8 1,968 4.0
Note: Rate = Rate per 1,000 children
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06
Period Rate per 1000 children
ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA
Figure 2.4: The rate of children on orders at 30 June in each state and territory during the period 2001–2006
Key messages:
■ While there were substantial differences in the rates of front line indicators (i.e., total notifications, investigations and substantiations) both within jurisdictions over time and across jurisdictions, nationally the rates of total notifications, investigations and substantiations overall increased over the past five years.
■ Nationally, between the periods 2000–01 to 2005–06, total notifications increased from 115,471 (or 25.6 per 1,000 children) to 266,745 (or 58.7 per 1,000 children)—an increase of approximately 130%.
■ Nationally, between the periods 2000–01 to 2005–06, total investigations increased from 66,265 (or 14.7 per 1,000 children) to 137,829 (or 30.4 per 1,000 children)—an increase of approximately 108%.
■ Nationally, between the periods 2000–01 to 2005–06, total substantiations increased from 27,367 (or 6.1 per 1,000 children) to 55,921 (or 12.3 per 1,000 children)—an increase of approximately 104%.
■ There was greater similarity in the rates of children on orders and in out-of-home care across jurisdictions.
Nonetheless, although less pronounced than the increases observed for front line indicators, the rates of children on orders and in out-of-home care increased over the past five years.
■ During the years 2001–2006, the number of children on orders across Australia at 30 June increased from 19,917 (or 4.2 per 1,000 children) to 27,188 (or 5.6 per 1,000 children)—an increase of approximately 37%.
■ During the years 2001–2006, the number of children in out-of-home care across Australia at 30 June increased from 18,241 (or 3.9 per 1,000 children) to 25,454 (or 5.3 per 1,000 children)—an increase of approximately 40%.