Child abuse cases drop, more kids in care (Nine msn News)

21 Jan Child abuse cases drop, more kids in care (Nine msn News)

Fewer children are being reported as abused or neglected in Australia, but more young victims find themselves in state care, a new report has revealed.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released its Child Protection Australia 2009-10 report on Friday.

It found that the number of children subject to a notification – where authorities are alerted to potential abuse or neglect – fell by 10 per cent, from 207,462 to 187,314, in the latest year.

The number of children subject to a substantiation – where departmental intervention is deemed necessary – decreased by four per cent, from 32,641 to 31,295, in the same period.

An eight per cent fall in substantiations was recorded in the six years from 2004-05 to 2009-10.

Institute spokesman Tim Beard said although these figures could reflect a genuine decrease in child abuse and neglect, other factors were probably at play. …Go to article.