Safety Snapshots

Out-of-home care

Children and young people under the age of 18 years who are unable to remain with their parents, may be in out-of-home care settings or placements such as foster care, kinship care or residential care. In South Australia, a child or young person may be formally placed in out-of-home care under a court order and/or may be under the guardianship, or in the custody, of the Chief Executive of the Department for Child Protection.

On 30 June 2019, there were 3,797 children and young people under 18 years in out-of-home care in South Australia, an increase from 2,188 on 30 June 2014. At 30 June 2019, the rate of those under 18 years in out-of-home care was 10 per 1,000 population, whereas at 30 June 2014, the rate was 6 per 1,000 population. The South Australian rate of children and young people in out-of-home care at 30 June 2019 was higher than the national rate of 8 per 1,000 population.

The rate for Aboriginal children and young people under 18 years in out-of-home care in South Australia was 75 per 1,000 population on 30 June 2019. This was higher than the national rate of 54 per 1,000 population and reflects an increase from 30 June 2014 when the rate was 49 per 1,000 population.

Victims of assault

Children and young people can be victims of assault which is defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as the direct infliction or threat of force, injury or violence upon a person. In 2019, 2,332 children and young people under 20 years were victims of assault (excluding sexual assault) in South Australia. Converted to a rate per 100,000 population, the number of assaults equates to a victimisation rate for young South Australians under 20 years of 566 per 100,000 population.

In 2019, the victimisation rate for assault was higher for young people aged 15 to 19 years (1,340 per 100,000 population) than for children under 10 years (122 per 100,000 population) in South Australia.

• Potentially preventable hospitalisations
• Deaths as a result of injury

• Personal safety
• Child protection 2017-18

• Secure care and supervision
• Young people apprehended by police

• Homelessness
• Housing stress