Notifications data
Graphs
Number of notifications and children subject to notifications: Queensland, 2003-04 to 2007-08.
| Year | Notifications | Distinct children notified |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 35023 | 25009 |
| 2004-05 | 40829 | 29633 |
| 2005-06 | 33612 | 25687 |
| 2006-07 | 28511 | 24102 |
| 2007-08 | 25003 | 22333 |
Rate of children subject to notifications, per 1,000 children (0-17 years): Queensland, 2003-04 to 2007-08.
| Year | Rate per 1000 |
|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 26.3 |
| 2004-05 | 30.8 |
| 2005-06 | 26.4 |
| 2006-07 | 23.9 |
| 2007-08 | 21.8 |
Proportion of notifications by primary source: Queensland, 2007-08.
| Year | Parent/ guardian | Other relative | Friend/ neighbour | School personnel | Police | Health sources | All other sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 9.7 % | 7.4 % | 8.1 % | 14.6 % | 27.9 % | 10.3 % | 22 % |
| 2006-07 | 8.8 % | 7.3 % | 7.3 % | 13.4 % | 27 % | 11.8 % | 24.4 % |
| 2007-08 | 8.5 % | 6.4 % | 7.3 % | 14.1 % | 25.6 % | 14.6 % | 23.6 % |
Proportion of children subject to notifications by age group: Queensland, 2003-04 to 2007-08.
| Year | Under 5 | 5 to 9 | 10 to 14 | 15 to 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 32.2004078532 % | 31.5 % | 28.9 % | 7.3 % |
| 2004-05 | 34.0060068167 % | 30.3 % | 28.3 % | 7.3 % |
| 2005-06 | 35.7885311636 % | 29.4 % | 27.2 % | 7.6 % |
| 2006-07 | 36.77703 % | 28.38768 % | 26.37125 % | 8.04 % |
| 2007-08 | 37.78 % | 28.78 % | 25.339 % | 7.468 % |
Tables
- Notifications summary statistics (including notifications/children notified/children rate per 1,000)
- Notifications by primary source, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Notifications and children subject to notifications, by departmental zone, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Children subject to notifications by Indigenous status, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Notifications by most serious type of harm notified, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Notifications by age group by sex of child, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Children notified by age group and sex of child, 2003-04 to 2007-08
- Notifications by age and most serious type of harm notifed, 2003-04 to 2007-08
Quarterly data
- Notifications, by primary source, Queensland, 2003–04 to year ending 31 March 2009
- Notifications and children notified, by departmental zone, Queensland, 2003–04 to year ending 31 March 2009
- Children notified, by Indigenous status, Queensland, 2003–04 to year ending 31 March 2009
- Notifications by most serious type of harm notified, Queensland, 2003–04 to year ending 31 March 2009
- Notifications, by age group and sex of child, Queensland, 2003–04 to year ending 31 March 2009
Map
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Service centre zones and data
Map of zones and service centre data for the years 2004 through to 2008.
What is a notification?
A notification is recorded when child protection information received suggests that a child needs protection.
Children and young people in need of protection are those who have suffered harm, are suffering harm, or are at an unacceptable risk of suffering harm and do not have a parent able and willing to protect them from the harm.
When a notification is recorded, our department must conduct an investigation.
Why this topic is important
Harm to a child or young person can be caused by physical, psychological or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse or exploitation.
These types of harm can often occur together and can have a significant detrimental effect on a child's physical or emotional health, development and wellbeing; and range from mild to life-threatening.
Trends
In 2007-08, the department recorded 25,003 notifications relating to 22,333 children.
Over the past five years, the highest number of notifications recorded by the Department was during 2004-05 (40,829 notifications relating to 29,633 children). A key reason for the spike in numbers during this year is likely to be the increased community awareness that followed the 2004 CMC Inquiry and subsequent establishment of the Department.
The number of notifications recorded since 2004–05 has since moderated due to a combination of practice and recording changes:
- The introduction of Structured Decision Making (SDM) tools in 2005–06 has assisted the department to improve consistency in assessment and target resources to those children and young people most at risk.
- From March 2005, protective advice responses were no longer recorded as notifications, but as child concern reports. Such reports historically comprised up to 15 per cent of notifications.
- With the statewide implementation of the department’s new Integrated Client Management System (ICMS) in March 2007, any new child protection concerns received by the department that relate to an open notification or investigation and assessment are recorded as an additional concern and linked to the open notification/investigation and assessment. Previously, any new child protection concerns received by the department were recorded as an additional notification. This recording change contributed to the decrease in notifications recorded for 2006–07.
Of the children subject to notifications in 2007-08, children in the group unborn to four years of age comprised the largest proportion (37.8 per cent). The proportion of notifications recorded for this cohort has increased since 2005-06 from 35.7 per cent to 37.8 per cent. Although overall numbers have decreased, as have total notifications over the same period. By contrast, the proportion of young people (aged 15 to 17 years) has remained relatively stable over the same period.
In 2007-08, 4,294 Indigenous children and 18,039 non-Indigenous children were subject to notifications . The number of Indigenous children notified represents an increase of 253 (6.3 per cent) over 2006-07 and is in line with the trend of recent years.
As a rate per 1,000 of the Queensland population aged 0-17 years, this equates to 63.3 per 1,000 Indigenous children subject to a notification compared to 18.9 per 1,000 for non-Indigenous children. Since 2003-04, Indigenous children subject to a notification have increased from 31.1 per 1,000 to 63.3 per 1,000 in 2007-08, while non-Indigenous children subject to a notification have decreased from 25.8 per 1,000 to 18.9 per 1,000 over the same period.
As the child protection system continues to enhance its service provision to Indigenous communities and improve its recording of Indigenous status, this trend is likely to continue.
- Last updated
- 28 August 2009