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Does mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect work?

Does mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect work?. Dr. Frank Ainsworth Edith Cowan University Perth. Question What evidence is there that children are abused less in jurisdictions where mandatory reporting exists by comparison to jurisdictions where it does not exist?.

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Does mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect work?

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  1. Does mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect work? Dr. Frank Ainsworth Edith Cowan University Perth

  2. QuestionWhat evidence is there that children are abused less in jurisdictions where mandatory reporting exists by comparison to jurisdictions where it does not exist?

  3. How will this question be addressed?It will be examined by comparing statistical data from NSW that has mandatory reportingand Western Australia that does not have mandatory reporting.

  4. Table 1. Comparison of notifications of child abuse and neglect by type of action for New South Wales (mandatory reporting) and Western Australia (non-mandatory reporting) 2000-2001.____________________________________________________________Type of action New South Wales Western Australia ____________________________________________________________Total notifications 40,937 (100 %) 2,851 (100 %)  Total investigations 25,292 (61.8 %) 2,759 (96.8 %)Finalised 19,913 (48.6 %) 2,392 (83.9 %)investigationsInvestigations 5,379 (13.1 %) 367 (12.9 %) not finalised Substantiated 7.501 (18.3 %) 1,191 (41.8 %)investigationsUnsubstantiated 7,812 (19.1 %) 1,201 (42.1 %)notificationsNot investigated1 15,645 (38.2 %) 92 (3.2 %)____________________________________________________________Source: Australian Institute for Health and Welfare,Canberra, Child Protection Australia 2000-2001.

  5. Recalculating the ratesAIWH in calculating the substantiation rates remove ‘not finalised’ and ‘not investigated’ cases before making the calculation of substantiation rates and that inflates the these rates. I have not done this as logically ‘not finalised’ and ‘not investigated’ cases are in my view notsubstantiated cases. NSW also have a category of ‘child at risk’ that means ‘not substantiated’.

  6. Table 2. Comparison of outcomes for New South Wales (mandatory reporting) and Western Australia (non-mandatory reporting) - recalculations 2000-2001.____________________________________________________________Outcome New South Wales Western Australia____________________________________________________________Notifications 40,937 (100 %) 2,851 (100 %)Not substantiated 33,987 (83.0 %) 1,660 (58.2 %)Substantiated 7.501 (17.0 %) 1,191 (41.8 %) Ratio in favour of 8.3 - 1 5.8 - 1non-substantiationFamilies receiving 1,875 (25.0 %) 415 (25.0 %)service (estimate)____________________________________________________________Source: Australian Institute for Health and Welfare,Canberra, Child Protection Australia 2000-2001.

  7. Table 3. Australia wide (ex. Western Australia) notifications and recalculated substantiations of child abuse and neglect 2000-2001.____________________________________________________________Type of action Notifications Recalculated substantiations ___________________________________________________________Total notifications 115,471 (100 %) 115, 471 (100 %)Total investigations 66,265 (57.4 %) 66,265 (57.4 %)Finalised 54,286 (47.0 %) 54,286 (47.0 %)investigationsInvestigations 11,979 (10.4 %) -not finalised Substantiated 27,367 (23.7 %) 23,367 (23.7 %)investigationsUnsubstantiated 22,291 (19.3 %) 88,306 (76.5 %)2notificationsNot investigated1 47,389 (41.0 %) -Ratio in favour of - 7.6 - 1non-substantiation____________________________________________________________ Source: Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, Canberra, Child Protection Australia 2000-2001.

  8. Other data* Hospitalization for ‘child battering or other maltreatment’. National figure 1997-98 - 0.12/1000 children* Child deaths – homicide 1989-93 – 32 deaths per yearNSW 1999, Child Death Review Team, 14 deaths (2 due to inadequate child protection)

  9. Cost - Productivity Commission 1999-2000 figuresNSW, $65.86 per child 0-16 yearsWA, $21.22 per child 0-16 years

  10. SummaryNSW WARatio in favour of non-substantiation 8.3 - 1 5.8 - 1 Cost$65.86 per child $21.22 per child QuestionDoes this evidence make you change your mind about mandatory reporting?

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