Children on care and protection orders
At 30 June 2019, 59,000 or 11 per 1,000 children aged 0–17 were on a care and protection order. Of these children, almost two–thirds (62% or 36,700) were on finalised guardianship or custody orders. Infants (children aged under 1) were most likely to be on interim and temporary orders (61% or 1,000), while children aged 15–17 were most likely to be on finalised guardianship or custody orders (67% or 6,900).
For further information about children on care and protection orders in 2018–19 who also received specialist homelessness services, see Specialist homelessness services annual report 2018–19.
Children admitted to and discharged from orders
In 2018–19, 12,900 children were admitted to care and protection orders. Among this group, three–quarters (9,700 or 75%) were admitted for the first time. Children may be admitted (or re–admitted) to a care and protection order for a number of reasons, including substantiated abuse; irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between the child and their parents; or where parents were unwilling and/or unable to adequately care for the child.
In 2018–19, 11,500 children were discharged from care and protection orders. Of these children, 36% had been continuously on an order for less than 12 months at the time of discharge; 21% spent between 1 and 2 years on an order and 43% were continuously on an order for more than 2 years at the time of discharge (Figure 9).