The latest material added to the Australian Institute of Family Studies library database is displayed, up to a maximum of 30 items. Where available online, a link to the document is provided. Many items can be borrowed from the Institute's library via the Interlibrary loan system.
See more resources on Costs of child abuse and neglect in the AIFS library catalogue
Child protection services. (link is external)
Australia. Productivity Commission
Report on government services 2016. Vol. F, Community Services. Melbourne, Vic. : Productivity Commission, 2016. 9781740375764 (vol F): 301p
As part of the annual review of government services in Australia, this chapter focuses on the performance of child protection services. It reports on work undertaken and achievement against key performance indicators, for statutory child protection services, out-of-home care services, intensive family support services, and related family support services. It describes the roles and responsibilities of key bodies, common pathways through the system, the framework of performance indicators and objectives, and additional proposed indicators. Indicators include: client satisfaction, response times, finalised investigations, substantiation rate, safety in out-of-home care, placement stability, placement with extended family, placement in accordance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, placement with sibling, resubstantiation, and documented case plans. The chapter also presents statistics on: notifications and investigations, substantiations, care and protection orders, out of home care placements, state and federal funding, and expenditure per child per placement night. Statistics are also published separately as a spreadsheet. Nationally, in the 2014/15 period, 42,457 children aged 0-17 years were the subject of a substantiation - with 43,399 children in out-of-home care on 30 June 2014. Spending on child protection and out-of-home care services was approximately $4.3 billion in this period - up 5.8% from the previous year.
Economic issues in the community response to child maltreatment.
Segal L
Mathews, Ben, ed. Bross, Donald C., ed. Mandatory reporting laws and the identification of severe child abuse and neglect. Dordrecht : Springer, 2015 Child maltreatment 4 9789401796842: 193-216
This book reviews key issues in mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect. This chapter considers economic issues and the rationale for government intervention, illustrated with examples from Australia. Sections include: establishing the case for a government role in child maltreatment, child maltreatment as 'market failure', determining the optimal policy response to child maltreatment and the role of mandatory reporting, case finding/reporting, and the child protection response.
Consultation paper: redress and civil litigation (link is external)
Australia. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Sydney, NSW : Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2015.
This consultation paper invites public feedback on the issue of redress and civil litigation for the victims of institutional child sexual abuse in Australia. The paper provides background information and introduces the issues and some options regarding justice for victims, the elements of redress, possible structures for redress, re-engagement between survivor and institution, providing and funding counselling and psychological care, monetary payments, civil litigation, limitation periods for civil litigation, and the duty of institutions. Current schemes and services are also discussed.
National Redress Scheme participant and cost estimates (link is external)
Finity Consulting, Australia. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Sydney, N.S.W. : Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2015.
A National Redress Scheme is being considered as part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, to manage compensation for the victims of institutional child sexual abuse in Australia. To help the Royal Commission with its work, this report was commissioned to estimate possible participant volumes, costs, and funding requirements associated with such a scheme. This includes estimates on the characteristics and counselling needs of claimants, and reviews of current state-based redress schemes.
Child protection services. (link is external)
Australia. Productivity Commission
Report on government services 2015. Vol. F, Community Services. Melbourne, Vic. : Productivity Commission, 2015. 1328-181X: 312p
As part of the annual review of government services in Australia, this chapter focuses on the performance of child protection services. It reports on work undertaken and achievement against key performance indicators, for statutory child protection services, out-of-home care services, intensive family support services, and related family support services. It describes the roles and responsibilities of key bodies, common pathways through the system, the framework of performance indicators and objectives, and additional proposed indicators. Indicators include: client satisfaction, response times, finalised investigations, substantiation rate, safety in out-of-home care, placement stability, placement with extended family, placement in accordance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, placement with sibling, resubstantiation, and documented case plans. The chapter also presents statistics on: notifications and investigations, substantiations, care and protection orders, out of home care placements, state and federal funding, and expenditure per child per placement night. Statistics are also published separately as a spreadsheet. Nationally, in the 2013/14 period, 40,844 children aged 0-17 years were the subject of a substantiation - with 43,009 children in out-of-home care on 30 June 2014. Spending on child protection and out-of-home care services was approximately $3.3 billion in this period - up 2.4% from the previous year.
The cost of unresolved childhood trauma and abuse in adults in Australia: practice guidelines for treatment of complex trauma and trauma informed care and service delivery (link is external)
Kezelman C, Hossack N, Stavropoulos P and Burley P
Sydney : Adults Surviving Child Abuse and Pegasus Economics, 2015.
This report provides an estimate of the cost of failure to address the needs of adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse in Australia, highlighting to government the short-term and life-long negative impacts on both productivity and well-being of this significant public health issue. Indeed, addressing child abuse alone could lead to a potential minimum gain of $6.8 billion for the combined Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. The report shows the linkages between childhood trauma and abuse and negative health outcomes, explains its methodology for costing childhood trauma and abuse, and discusses methods and strategies to reduce these costs.
The economic costs of child abuse and neglect
Child Family Community Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Melbourne, Vic. : Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2015.
This fact sheet reviews spending on child protection services in Australia. It presents statistics on Australian, state, and territory expenditure on child protection services, out-of-home care, and intensive family support services from 2008/09 to 2013/14. It also briefly discusses government spending on prevention and the long-term costs of child abuse on individuals and society.
Estimating the costs of child sexual abuse in the UK (link is external)
Saied-Tessier A
London : NSPCC, 2014.
"This report attempts to calculate the overall costs of child sexual abuse in the UK. It estimates that child sexual abuse cost ¹3.2bn in 2012. It uses research literature to calculate the number of victims who are affected by the different issues, and uses published current costs for the service provision. It sets out the assumptions that have been made, the costs that have been excluded from the calculations, and the limitations of the available data."
Counting the costs of crime in Australia: a 2011 estimate (link is external)
Smith R, Jorna P, Sweeney J and Fuller G
Canberra, ACT : Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014.
This report provides updated estimates on the costs of crime in Australia. It discusses prior research, data sources, estimating crime, and methodological issues, and examines the medical costs, property costs, lost output, and intangible costs of homicide, assault, sexual assault, child sexual assault, robbery, drug abuse, arson, fraud, and related crimes, as well as the costs of the criminal justice system, victim homelessness, insurance, and household precautions. Findings are compared with earlier reports from 2001, 2003, and 2005. Using the latest data available for 2011, the report estimates that crime costs Australia $47.6 billion - or 3.4 percent of national GDP.
Measuring the economic costs of child abuse and intimate partner violence to New Zealand (link is external)
Kahui S and Snively S
Glen Innes, Auckland : Glenn Inquiry, 2014.
This report produces new costings on the economic scale and impact of child abuse and intimate partner violence in New Zealand. The costings framework, the 'Economic Cost of Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence' (ECCAIPV) framework, is based on a 2009 KPMG study for Australia. Any costing is based on assumptions, so the framework presents 3 scenarios - conservative, moderate, and high end - to allow for different perspectives on the impact of this problem on service use, productivity, health, household costs, and so on. Even so, this framework estimates that child abuse and intimate partner violence cost the New Zealand economy $4.1 billion to $7.0 billion dollars in 2014.
Child protection services. (link is external)
Australia. Productivity Commission
Report on government services 2014. Melbourne, Vic. : Productivity Commission, 2014. 1328-181X: 316p
As part of the annual review of government services in Australia, this chapter focuses on the performance of child protection services. It reports on work undertaken and achievement against key performance indicators, for statutory child protection services, out-of-home care services, intensive family support services, and related family support services. It describes the roles and responsibilities of key bodies, common pathways through the system, the framework of performance indicators and objectives, and additional proposed indicators. Indicators include: client satisfaction, response times, finalised investigations, substantiation rate, safety in out-of-home care, placement stability, placement with extended family, placement in accordance with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, placement with sibling, resubstantiation, and documented case plans. The chapter also presents statistics on: notifications and investigations, substantiations, care and protection orders, out of home care placements, state and federal funding, and expenditure per child per placement night. Statistics are also published separately as a spreadsheet. Nationally, in the 2012/13 period, 184,284 children aged 0-17 years were the subject of child protection notifications, 40,685 children were the subject of a substantiation, 42,652 children were on care and protection orders, and 40,624 children were in out-of-home care.
When is enough enough? The burgeoning cost of child protection services. (link is external)
Ainsworth F and Hansen P
Children Australia v. 39 no. 2 Jun 2014: 93-98
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that at 31 December 2011 there were 5,098,694 children and young people in Australia under the age of 18 years, while for the period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's report on child protection indicates that there were 48,420 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in Australia. The likelihood is that almost 95 (94.96) per cent of Australian children and young people were not abused or neglected in that period; and this is a cause for national celebration. These figures are good reason to praise the parents and caregivers of the 5,050,274 children who were not abused or neglected. We argue that there is a need for an emphasis in the political debate about child protection that focuses on children who are not abused, in order for the issue of child abuse and neglect to be placed in proper perspective. The lack of perspective in the current dialogue simply results in an unending demand for more resources for detection-focused services. Instead, there has to be increased emphasis on preventative services for vulnerable families who fail to meet community child-rearing standards. These exacting standards of parenting can only be achieved through parent education and the provision of intensive and extensive family support services, combined with sensitive monitoring of at-risk families. Accordingly, this article is written in a dissenting voice.
Modelling the relationship between child abuse and long-term health care costs and wellbeing : results from an Australian community-based survey. (link is external)
Reeve R and van Gool K
Economic Record v. 89 no. 286 Sep 2013: 300-318
This article looks at the long-term economic and welfare costs of childhood abuse. Using data from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, the article investigates the association between types of childhood abuse, number of health conditions, and health care spending. Health conditions include mental illness, physical illness, attempted suicide, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Child sexual assault: facts and statistics (link is external)
Ronken C and Johnston H
Arundel, Qld. : Bravehearts Inc., 2012
This paper collates Australian and international information on the prevalence and impact of child sexual assault. Sections include: prevalence and risk; realities of child sexual assault; disclosure issues; the offenders; convicting, treating and managing paedophiles; churches; the effects of child sexual assault; the costs; prevention and education; community views; on-line exploitation and grooming; child protection systems; and statements and other facts.
A prevalence-based approach to societal costs occurring in consequence of child abuse and neglect. (link is external)
Habetha S, Bleich S, Weidenhammer J and Fegert J
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health v. 6 2012: Article 35
This article examines the economic impact of child abuse in Germany. It estimates the economic cost to society due to the long term impact of child abuse traumatisation, and compares the findings with estimates from Australia, Canada, and the United States.
The economic and social cost of child abuse in Victoria, 2009-10: Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry (link is external)
Deloitte Access Economics, Victoria. Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry
Melbourne, Vic. : Dept. of Premier and Cabinet, 2011
The Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry was launched in 2011 to investigate systemic problems in Victoria's child protection system. This report was commissioned by the Inquiry to calculate the incidence and prevalence of child abuse and neglect in Victoria, the impact on society, and the financial burden on government. Costs include use of health services, child protection services, court services, increased crime, productivity losses, and burden of disease.
The costs and consequences of child maltreatment: literature review for the NSPCC (link is external)
Meadows P
London : National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 2011.
This report investigates the costs and consequences of child maltreatment in the United Kingdom. Establishing the long-term costs to society as a whole - and to maltreated children and their families - first of all needs to establish what are the outcomes and achievements of maltreated children and how these compare with what they would have been expected to achieve if they had not been maltreated. Subsequently, the report reviews recent literature on the prevalence of child abuse and neglect, its impact on children throughout their lives, the costs it incurs on the children, their families and the wider society, and the potential savings that might arise from preventive interventions.
Promising practices for preventing child abuse and neglect (link is external)
Promising Practices Network, Rand Corporation
Santa Monica, CA : Promising Practices Network, RAND Corporation, 2010.
This paper briefly summarises the research on preventing child abuse and neglect. Topics are: What is the scope of the problem?; What are the costs to individuals and society?; and What are promising strategies for preventing abuse and neglect?
Impact of childhood abuse : biopsychosocial pathways through which adult mental health is compromised.
Coates D
Australian Social Work v. 62 no. 4 Dec 2010: 391-403
The relationship between childhood abuse and adult mental and physical health problems is well documented. Over the lifespan of victims of child abuse, social, psychological and biological consequences of abuse interact in complex ways. A biopsychosocial model is applied to the experiences of adult victims of child abuse to make sense of the complex and varied impacts of child abuse. The long-term difficulties experienced by adult victims of child abuse are discussed in relation to the neurobiological impacts of child abuse on the child's developing brain. The impact of child abuse on neuro-endocrine functioning and the structure of the brain, in particular on the amygdala, hippocampus, left hemisphere, and corpus callosum are explored. A number of implications for social work practice are outlined.
The range and magnitude of alcohol's harm to others (link is external)
Laslett A, Catalano P, Chikritzhs T, Dale C, Doran C, Ferris J, Jainullabudeen T, Livingston M, Matthews S, Mugavin J, Room R, Schlotterlein M and Wilkinson C
Fitzroy : AER Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Eastern Health, 2010.
This report examines the impact of alcohol drinking on other people in Australian - from minor issues such as noise nuisance to more severe impacts such as child abuse and homicide. Incidence data is taken from a range of sources including national statistics and a new survey of friends, family, and victims, and economic costings are also conducted. Topics include: Alcohol-related road crashes; Deaths and hospitalisations from other's drinking; The costs of morbidity associated with others' drinking; Predicting who is negatively affected by others' drinking; Impact on health and life satisfaction; Alcohol-related violence; Domestic violence; Fetal alcohol syndrome; Child abuse, deaths and hospitalisations; Effects of co-workers' drinking; Alcohol-related harm from strangers; and the Use of emergency and support services by others.
Sexualisation of young people: review (link is external)
Papadopoulos L
London : Home Office, 2010.
"The sexualisation of young people review has been conducted by psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, as part of the [British] government's strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. The review looks at how sexualised images and messages may be affecting the development of children and young people and influencing cultural norms. It also examines the evidence for a link between sexualisation and violence."
The risk of harm to young children in institutional care (link is external)
Browne K
London : Save the Children, 2009.
"Children in institutional care are more likely to suffer from poor health, physical underdevelopment and deterioration in brain growth. So why does the use of institutional care remain a worldwide phenomenon? Experts estimate that there are at least 2.2 million children growing up in institutional care around the world. This is occurring despite wide recognition that children growing up in institutions have reduced intellectual, social and behavioural abilities compared with children growing up in a family home. This report looks at: the reasons for institutional care and relative costs; the physical and psychological harm caused to children by being in institutional care, and the long-term effects of this; [and] ways forward: how to move children out of institutional care and prevent new admissions."
The cost of child abuse in Australia (link is external)
Taylor P, Moore P, Pezzullo L, Tucci J, Goddard C and De Bortoli L
Australia : Access Economics, 2008.
The cost of child abuse is measured not only in fiscal terms, but also in the pain and suffering of the abused and neglected children, representing the loss of their childhood. This report estimates the cost of child abuse to the Australian economy and society by: (1) estimating the cost incurred by the community associated with children who were abused or neglected in 2007; and (2) estimating the future costs which will be incurred over a lifetime by abused or neglected children. The report estimates the prevalence and incidence of child abuse, and the severity of harm. It also explores the risk factors and consequences of child abuse, outlining the costs in terms of health systems expenditures, education, productivity losses, crime, protection and care programs, efficiency losses, the burden of disease (fear, mental anguish and pain), and prevention and protection programs.
Kids having kids : economic costs & social consequences of teen pregnancy
Hoffman S and Maynard R
Washington, D.C. : Urban Institute Press, c2008.
"Teen childbearing in the United States has been declining since 1991, yet we consistently have the highest teen birth rates in the industrialized world. In 1997, 'Kids Having Kids' was the first comprehensive effort to identify the consequences for the mothers, the fathers, the children, and our society. Rather than simply comparing teen mothers with their childless counterparts, the assembled researchers achieved a new methodological sophistication, seeking to isolate the birth itself from the mother's circumstances and thus discover its true costs. This second edition features a new chapter evaluating teen pregnancy interventions, along with revised and updated versions of most first edition chapters."
Unreasonable force : New Zealand's journey towards banning the physical punishment of children
Wood B, Hassall I, Hook G and Ludbrook R
Wellington, N.Z. : Save the Children New Zealand, 2008.
The New Zealand Crimes Amendment Act 2007 repealed Section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961, and prohibits the use of force against children, including force the purpose of discipline or correction. This book provides an account of how New Zealand came to legislate to meet its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and secure the human rights of children. It describes the events leading up to the enactment of the 2007 Crimes Amendment Act, and explores the origins of children's rights and the reluctance of many New Zealanders to accept the notion that children possess rights and that parents do not have the right to use physical force against them. Legal issues are discussed, as is the role of religious faith in child-rearing practices. The book explains the role of children's rights advocates in the formation of the Bill, and examines the attitudes of the New Zealand public, the media and the politicians. It concludes with an exploration of the implications for New Zealand society.
Yarning up on trauma : healing ourselves, healing our children and families, healing our communities
Coade S, Downey L and MacClung L
Richmond, Vic. : Berry Street, 2008.
This book was originally written to accompany the 'Yarning Up on Trauma' training program. Aimed at personnel in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander community organisations, the training program explains the impact of trauma in Indigenous communities - including historic cultural trauma as well as child abuse. This book supplements the training course, though it can be read by other professionals as well. Sections n the book include: historical and cultural trauma, traumatised families and communities, understanding trauma and attachment difficulties, early security and attachment theory, attachment and culture, Aboriginal child rearing practice, the attachment network, impact on the brain and body, neglect and deprivation, the impact of abuse and neglect on children, the impact on communities and families, the relational worldview, culture as healing, healing ourselves, healing our systems, recovery from trauma, creating safe communities, storytelling in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, reconnecting, and other ideas for healing.
Total estimated cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States (link is external)
Wang C and Holton J
Chicago, IL : Prevent Child Abuse America, 2007.
The economic costs of child abuse are borne by victims, their families, and society. This briefing paper estimates the costs of child abuse in the United States in 2007 dollars, for both direct costs associated with the immediate needs of children and indirect costs associated with the long-term and secondary effects of child abuse and neglect. Although these costs are substantial, it is essential to recognize that it is impossible to calculate the impact of the pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life that victims of child abuse and neglect experience.
The costs of child abuse vs. child abuse prevention: Alabama's experience (link is external)
Watters A
Ala. : Alabama Children's Trust Fund, 2007.
"In Alabama in the year 2004 approximately 10,110 children were victims of child abuse and neglect. Child abuse can and does cause a strain on the state's social, health, and judicial services. The purpose of this study is to document the costs to the taxpayers of Alabama. To evaluate the costs of child abuse on the Alabama economy one must look at both the direct costs of intervention (those costs associated with the immediate needs of abused or neglected children) and indirect costs (those costs associated with the long-term and/or secondary effects of child abuse and neglect). The act of abuse or neglect not only affects the child's present status but continues to affect his way of living throughout his course of life. Child abuse and neglect causes severe damage to the child as an individual and to society as a whole. This study's goal is to estimate the monetary cost of child abuse in the state of Alabama through the use of secondary data."
Early childhood and long term development: the importance of the early years (link is external)
Moore T
West Perth, W.A. : Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth, 2006.
Measuring domestic violence and sexual assault: a review of the literature and statistics (link is external)
Phillips J and Park M
Canberra, A.C.T. : Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, 2006.
Major research and studies on violence against women and sexual assault in Australia, and some major international surveys, are summarised. The report presents information on the incidence of violence against women, on whether violence against women is growing in Australia, what proportion of victims know the perpetrator, injuries to women in cases of sexual assault, state and territory comparisons, how many victims access support services, criminal justice system outcomes, women's fear of violence, the economic, social and health costs of violence against women, and at risk groups.
