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Child death case reviews data

• Graphs
• Tables
• What are child death case reviews?
• Why this topic is important
• Statistics

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Graphs

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Tables

• Deaths of children or young people known to the department, age group by number (Queensland, 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008) (Excel 23 KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the department, cause of death by number (Queensland, 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008) (Excel 22KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the department, Indigenous status by number (Queensland, 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008) (Excel 20 KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the department, sex by number (Queensland, 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2008) (Excel 20 KB)

Quarterly data

• Deaths of children or young people known to Child Safety Services, age group by number, Queensland, 2004-05 to March Quarter 2008-09 (Excel 26 KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the Child Safety Services, cause of death by number, Queensland, 2004-05 to March Quarter 2008-09 (Excel 23 KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the Child Safety Services, Indigenous status by number, Queensland, 2004-05 to March Quarter 2008-09 (Excel 22 KB)
• Deaths of children or young people known to the Child Safety Services, sex by number, Queensland, 2004-05 to March Quarter 2008-09 (Excel 21 KB)

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What are child death case reviews?

The death of any child known to the department within the three years prior to their death will be subject to a child death case review as stipulated by the Child Protection Act 1999.

A child death case review is conducted where:

• the department was aware of alleged harm or risk of harm to the child
• the department took action in relation to the child under the Act
• the chief executive (Director-General) reasonably suspected the child would need protection once they were born, although they were not born at the time the suspicion arose.

Child death case reviews are conducted by the department under Chapter 7A of the Act. The department commissions an independent reviewer to complete child death case review reports.

The child death case reviews do not investigate cause of death, but focus on the adequacy and appropriateness of the department's interventions, policies, procedures and interactions with other agencies as they related to the child who died.

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Why this topic is important

Child death case reviews are the primary mechanism for in-depth analysis of the department's practice framework, systems and service delivery. They provide the opportunity for a 'spot audit' of departmental practice surrounding the case of a child known to the department.

We take seriously our commitment to openness, transparency and accountability. There is also a commitment to fostering a learning and development culture within the department in order to promote continuous improvement in practice quality. This is the real benefit that child death case reviews have provided and will continue to provide.

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Trends

The number of children or young people who died and were known to the Department has increased from 57 in 2006-07 to 63 in 2007-08. Increases were experienced in the five to under 14 years age group (by an additional eight children) and the 14 to under 18 years age group (by an additional six young people) over the period. However, falls were experienced in the under one year (by a reduction of two children) and the one year (by a reduction of six children) age groups over the same period.

The cause of death is yet to be determined in 8 cases. For those cases where a cause of death has been determined, since 2006-07 increases were experienced in accidental deaths (by an addition of three children/young people) and suicide (by an additional four children/young people). However, falls were experienced in cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (by a reduction of three children) and natural causes (by a reduction of six cases) over the same period.

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Last updated

25 June 2009