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Citation
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Harrap B, Gibberd A, O'Donnell M, Simons K, Jones J, Lima F, McAullay D, Falster K, Banks E, Eades S. Child Abuse Negl. 2023; 143: e106297. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal children in the child protection system is a key target for the Australian government.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to provide more recent evidence on the population-level cumulative incidence of contacts for Aboriginal children with child protective services (CPS) in Western Australia (WA). PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Linked administrative data was provided for WA CPS between 2000 and 2015 for 33,709 Aboriginal children born in WA between 2000 and 2013.
METHODS: Descriptive summaries and cumulative incidence estimates were used to examine changes in CPS contact trends over time and within sibling groups.
RESULTS: There was an increase in early-childhood contacts for children born more recently, with 7.6 % and 2.3 % of children born in 2000-2001 having a notification and placement in out-of-home care by age one, respectively, compared to 15.1 % and 4.3 % of children born in 2012-2013. Among sibling groups where at least one sibling had a CPS contact, approximately half of children had their first contacts on the same date as another sibling. For children born after one of their siblings had been placed in out-of-home care, 31.9 % had themselves been placed in out-of-home care by age one.
CONCLUSIONS: Multiple children tend to be placed into out-of-home care when at least one sibling is, which is likely to have a significant impact on families affected. The additional risk of placement also carries over to children born after the first removal in a sibling group, highlighting the need for further support to prevent future removals.
Language: en |