This report presents a comprehensive analysis of linked administrative data to examine child protection involvement among families in New South Wales (NSW) affected by domestic and family violence (DFV), alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, and mental health (MH) issues.
Drawing on the NSW Human Services Dataset, the study investigates over 584,000 children reported to the Child Protection Helpline between 2004 and 2018. It identifies that 33% of these children had parental DFV flagged, often alongside AOD and/or MH concerns. The presence of multiple co-occurring risk factors was associated with younger age at first report, increased reports of significant harm, and higher likelihood of entry into out-of-home care (OOHC). Geographic analysis revealed clusters of disadvantage, with certain SA2 regions showing elevated prevalence.
The report highlights underutilisation of early intervention services such as Brighter Futures, especially among families with complex needs. It calls for integrated, trauma-informed service models and improved data collection to support targeted interventions. Limitations include underreporting and data linkage constraints. Overall, the findings underscore the need for coordinated policy and practice responses to address intersecting parental risk factors and improve outcomes for vulnerable children.
