Child Abuse and Neglect:
A Socio-legal Study of Mandatory Reporting
in Australia 1
1)Executive Summary 6
Executive Summary: Australian Capital Territory 7
1. Introduction 7
2. Australian Capital Territory mandatory reporting law 7
3. Major findings from analysis of data on notifications and outcomes 2003-12 7
2)Stage 1:
Legal Analysis 13
Stage 1: Legal Analysis 14
1.1. Introduction 14
1.2. Major legislative differences and common approaches across Australia 16
1.3. Mandatory reporting legislation as one element of a systematic approach to child protection and welfare: A note on differential response 19
1.4. Comparative tables 21
1.5. Legislative developments for each State and Territory over time: 2003-2012 35
3)Stage 2:
Data & Analysis 94
Stage 2: Data and Analyses 95
Introduction, definitions, and notes 95
Key data findings and interpretations: ACT 98
4)Stage 2 Part 1:
Ten year analyses 109
Stage 2 Part 1: Ten year analyses 110
Part 1A: Ten year analyses of numbers and outcome of reports 110
Part 1B: Reporting of individual abuse types over decade 128
Part 1C: Reporting by different reporter groups over decade 137
Stage 2 Part 2: Detailed Yearly Analyses 155
Part 2: Detailed yearly analyses 155
Stage 2 Part 3: Reports Of Distinct Children 186
Part 3: Reports of distinct children 186
Appendix A: 213
5)Stage 3:
Two Literature Reviews 214
Stage 3: Two Literature Reviews 215
Overview 215
3.1 Literature review 1: Factors influencing mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect 216
3.2 Literature review 2: Theoretical critiques of mandatory reporting laws 237
6)Appendix 1:
Research Approach 254
Appendix 1: Research Approach 255
Overview 255
Stage 1: Legal doctrinal and historical analysis of legislative mandatory reporting duties in each Australian State and Territory 256
Stage 2: Numbers and outcomes of notifications of each type of child abuse and neglect: Descriptive analysis and data mining 256
Stage 3: Literature reviews 262
References 262
Appendix 1 Table 1 and Figure 1 264
Appendix 1 Figure 1: Key points in the child protection system intake process: receipt and processing of reports/intakes regarding child abuse and neglect, and child welfare 268
