Children who have experienced child protection, youth justice and homelessness
‘Children who have experienced child protection, youth justice and homelessness’ is Chapter 6 in the Australia’s welfare 2023: data insights.
This page provides a high-level overview of the key messages presented in Chapter 6.
Download the full article: Chapter 6 [PDF 570 kB]
Download the full report: Australia’s welfare 2023: data insights [PDF 11.1 MB]..
Children interact with several systems and services as they transition to adulthood, including education and health services. Some children may have increased risk factors including safety concerns, housing concerns or engagement in criminal activities. Children with multiple disadvantages face numerous and intersecting vulnerabilities – leading to potential involvement with the child protection system, the criminal justice system and/or housing services.
This chapter explores the experiences of children who have been in the child protection system and their interactions with youth justice supervision or homelessness services.
What is in this chapter?
The child protection system
The chapter looks at children aged under 18 who came into contact with the child protection system. It covers:
- Care and protection orders
- Children in out-of-home care
- Demographics of children in out-of-home care
- New substantiations for children in care
- Stability and permanency outcomes for children in out-of-home care
Experiences of youth justice and child protection
The chapter presents information on young people under youth justice supervision during 2020–21 who had also been involved in the child protection system in the 5 years from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2021.
It includes information on these young people such as their age at first youth justice supervision, their out-of-home care living arrangements, number of placements and time in care. It also covers some comparisons between young people under youth justice supervision who had an interaction with out-of-home care and young people who were under youth justice supervision only (with no interactions with the child protection system).
Homelessness services and child protection
The chapter presents information about children aged under 18 who received support from specialist housing services and who were also on care and protection orders.
It examines why people experience homelessness and key characteristics and trends for those accessing homelessness services.
Where do I go for more information?
- Download the full article: Chapter 6 [PDF 570 kB].
- Download the full report: Australia’s welfare 2023: data insights.
- For other related information on young people who have experienced child protection, youth justice and homelessness, see: