Understanding what child protection data mean: a national comparison

Australia does not have one unified system, but rather eight different child protection systems. This paper provides a national snapshot of Australian statutory child protection services. Topics covered include: who is responsible for child protection; intake procedures; who notifies concerns to child protection services; the process of providing child protection services in Australian states and territories (intake, risk assessment and investigation). Similarities and differences across states and territories in each of these areas are highlighted. The implications for policy makers in the areas of data collection, competency standards and training, cross-border issues, and the importance of national standards are addressed