Child Abuse and Neglect: a socio-legal Study of Mandatory Reporting in Australia

2003	2004		2005	2006		2007		2008		2009		2010		2011		2012
% change
Doctors			55		70		95	80		58		100		63		101		108		121		120%
Nurses			217		408		494	558		596		547		610		708		797		712		228%
Police			548		745		851	1,098		1,099		1,235		1,341		1,439		1,394		1,249		128%
School personnel			488		701		861	1,065		1,269		1,083		1,200		1,362		1,405		1,476		202%
Child care workers			37		32		77	71		75		60		60		72		52		98		165%
Social workers			46		41		38	49		73		61		71		59		92		72		57%
Major mandated reporter groups combined			1,258		1,728		2,060	2,480		2,710		2,679		2,857		3,120		3,127		3,074		144%
Other reporter groups combined			1,372		1,924		2,162	2,487		2,482		2,316		2,561		2,688		2,715		2,738		100%
Distinct children in reports			2,251		3,027		3,451	3,996		4,209		4,102		4,390		4,565		4,629		4,656		107%
Total reports	3,463	5,759		6,699		7,711			8,297		7,444		8,193		9,047		9,335		9,434		172%

Line graph for table 3.5: Number of distinct children in reports, by reporter group, by year

3.5.1 Number of distinct children in reports, by reporter group, by year, as a percentage of all reports

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Doctors	2%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%
Nurses	6%	7%	7%	7%	7%	7%	7%	8%	9%	8%
Police	16%	13%	13%	14%	13%	17%	16%	16%	15%	13%
School personnel	14%	12%	13%	14%	15%	15%	15%	15%	15%	16%
Child care workers	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%
Social workers	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%	1%
Major mandated reporter groups combined^	36%	30%	31%	32%	33%	36%	35%	34%	33%	33%
Other reporter groups combined^	40%	33%	32%	32%	30%	31%	31%	30%	29%	29%
Distinct children in reports	65%	53%	52%	52%	51%	55%	54%	50%	50%	49%
Total reports	3,463	5,759	6,699	7,711	8,297	7,444	8,193	9,047	9,335	9,434

3.6 Number of distinct children in reports, by abuse type, by year, as a percentage of all reports, with percentage change

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	% change
Emotional abuse	1,123	1,488	1,726	2,326	2,616	2,237	2,452	2,457	2,642	2,712	141%
	32%	26%	26%	30%	32%	30%	30%	27%	28%	29%
Neglect	728	1,078	1,324	1,345	1,328	1,410	1,519	1,668	1,647	1,542	112%
	21%	19%	20%	17%	16%	19%	19%	18%	18%	16%
Physical abuse	525	796	887	870	891	966	993	1,133	1,071	1,098	109%
	15%	14%	13%	11%	11%	13%	12%	13%	11%	12%
Sexual abuse	334	542	539	571	516	537	527	613	638	696	108%
	10%	9%	8%	7%	6%	7%	6%	7%	7%	7%
Total reports	3,463	5,759	6,699	7,711	8,297	7,444	8,193	9,047	9,335	9,434	172%

Line graph for table 3.6: Number of distinct children in reports, by abuse type, by year

Line graph for table 3.6: Number of distinct children in reports, by abuse type, by year, as a percentage of all reports

3.7 Number of distinct children in reports, by outcome of reports, by year, as a percentage of all reporting, with percentage change

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	% change
Not investigated	1,392	2,122	2,525	1,526	3,690	3,699	4,016	4,208	4,255	4,223	203%
	40%	37%	38%	20%	44%	50%	49%	47%	46%	45%
Investigated	1,240	1,662	1,798	1,798	1,377	1,016	989	1,023	1,157	1,330	7%
	36%	29%	27%	23%	17%	14%	12%	11%	12%	14%
Substantiated	502	625	917	800	527	560	519	482	498	489	-3%
	14%	11%	14%	10%	6%	8%	6%	5%	5%	5%