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Definition

A count of children and young people involved in Risk of Significant Harm (ROSH) reports where abuse or neglect, or risk of abuse or neglect, was substantiated from finalised field assessments, during the reporting period.

Indicator Summary

Computation

A count of distinct Child Identifiers where the ROSH is equal to 'Yes' threshold, the related case was Allocated to a Caseworker, and subsequently Harm was identified, a Field Assessment was Completed and Approved), in the reporting period.

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Disaggregation

This indicator may be disaggregated by:

Service Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset CONTACTOR_TYPE_GROUP Reporter agency
  CONTACT_ORIGIN Contact method
  FINAL_RESPONSE_PRIORITY Response priority
  PRIMARY_HL_ASSESSED_ISSUE_GRPD Primary helpline assessed issue

Geographic Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset DITRICT_COMMON Cluster
  DITRICT_COMMON District
  BUSINESS_UNIT_COMMON Business unit

Demographic Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset ABORIGINAL_STATUS_GROUPED Aboriginal status
    Age* …
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Reporting Information

The Annual Statistical Report reports on an annual basis.

Published by NSW Department of Communities and Justice.

Quality Statement

Accuracy of Indigenous Status Data
Statuses: [FACSIAR Data Governance Committee: Qualified, Oct. 13, 2023]
The accuracy of data held about Indigenous Status in current collections is poor for several factors. Firstly, the number of...

Framework Dimensions

Rationale

‘Substantiation rate’ is an indicator of NSW Governments’ objective that child protection services are targeted to children and young people who are at greatest risk. It provides an indication of the extent to which services are targeted to those at greatest risk, thereby avoiding the human and financial costs of an investigation where no abuse or neglect had occurred or was at risk of occurring.

It is difficult to determine a target substantiation rate. A very low substantiation rate might indicate that investigations are not directed to appropriate cases. A very high substantiation rate might indicate that the criteria for substantiation are unnecessarily bringing ‘lower risk’ families into the statutory system. Substantiation rates should be monitored over time to observe and respond to trends.

Substantiation rates might fluctuate because of policy, funding and practice changes. Mandatory reporting, increased community awareness and willingness to notify suspected instances of child abuse, neglect or harm may also affect the substantiation rate.

Alignment: This aligns with national reporting in the Report on Government Services (RoGS).

Calculation rules

Computation Rule
Computation

A count of distinct Child Identifiers where the ROSH is equal to 'Yes' threshold, the related case was Allocated to a Caseworker, and subsequently Harm was identified, a Field Assessment was Completed and Approved), in the reporting period.

Numerators
Disaggregation

This indicator may be disaggregated by:

Service Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset CONTACTOR_TYPE_GROUP Reporter agency
  CONTACT_ORIGIN Contact method
  FINAL_RESPONSE_PRIORITY Response priority
  PRIMARY_HL_ASSESSED_ISSUE_GRPD Primary helpline assessed issue

Geographic Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset DITRICT_COMMON Cluster
  DITRICT_COMMON District
  BUSINESS_UNIT_COMMON Business unit

Demographic Breakdown

Distribution/Table Path/Column Dashboard Filter Label
Child Protection Reporting - Base Data Asset ABORIGINAL_STATUS_GROUPED Aboriginal status
    Age*
    Age Group**
  GENDER Gender
  DISABILITY_FLAG Disability

* Derived from date of birth. Age is then grouped into the categories of '4 years and under', '5 - 12 years', '13 - 17 years' and '18+ years' and into 'Age unknown or missing'.

The Annual Statistical Report disaggregates by Aboriginality and harm type.

Comments

Data for non-Aboriginal children and young people also includes children and young people with Aboriginality status "not stated".

The 2017-18 data for children and young people involved in ROSH reports where actual harm or risk of harm was substantiated from finalised field assessments is not available

Data ageing:

  • Data ageing is two months, unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the data for this indicator will be available two months after the end of the month in which the data first becomes available.

Data limitations:

  • Nil.

Data source:

References

In 2009 the threshold for legislative statutory authority intervention was amended from ‘risk of harm’ to ‘risk of significant harm’.

The NSW Interagency Guidelines outlines what is meant by ‘significant’ in ‘risk of significant harm’.

  • “This means the concern is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by a statutory authority (such as NSW Police Force or Community Services) irrespective of a family’s consent.
    What is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child or young person’s safety, welfare or wellbeing, or in the case of an unborn child, after the child’s birth. 
    The significance can result from a single act or omission or an accumulation of these.”

https://reporter.childstory.nsw.gov.au/s/article/Significant-harm-policy-definition

Custom Fields

DCJ - Domain
Child Protection

Related content

Relation Count
Indicator Sets that include this Indicator 0
Data Sets that are used in this Indicator 1