What happens after a child protection report during pregnancy? Using administrative data to explore 12-month outcomes

Stephanie Taplin; Judith Brown; Rhonda Marriott; Karen Broadhurst; Fred Wulczyn; Melissa O’Donnell

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108963

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What happens after a child protection report during pregnancy? Using administrative data to explore 12-month outcomes

Journal article

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What happens after a child protection report during pregnancy? Using administrative data to explore 12-month outcomes

Stephanie Taplin, Judith Brown, Rhonda Marriott, Karen Broadhurst, Fred Wulczyn and Melissa O’Donnell

Children and youth services review, Vol.185, 108963

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108963

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Abstract

Background Despite the increasing use of prenatal reporting to child protection in Australia and elsewhere, few large studies have examined the consequences of prenatal reporting. Aims This paper explores the association between prenatal reporting and subsequent child protection involvement in a large Australian jurisdiction, focusing on the timing, incidence and nature of this involvement. Participants and setting Administrative data were obtained for the population of pregnant women/infants reported prenatally in one Australian state (New South Wales, NSW), with twelve-month follow-up data included. Methods Descriptive statistics were used, plus univariate logistic and linear regression analyses. Results Nearly 40 in every 1000 (or 3.86%) pregnancies were reported to NSW child protection services in the current study. For nearly half of those reported prenatally there were no further child protection concerns recorded during the study period. Around 1 in 10 prenatal reports resulted in a removal into care within 12 months of the baby’s birth. In most cases, a removal was preceded by a post-natal report. The study also found that the pregnant women reported tended to be younger and live in urban, disadvantaged areas. Aboriginal women were greatly over-represented: racial disparities commenced as early as during pregnancy. Conclusions The study shows that most parents do not have their baby removed following a prenatal report, and of those who had their baby removed, only a small number were removed following a prenatal report only. This finding raises a number of important policy and practice questions.

Details

Title: What happens after a child protection report during pregnancy? Using administrative data to explore 12-month outcomes
Authors/Creators: Stephanie Taplin - University of Technology Sydney
Judith Brown - Australian Catholic University
Rhonda Marriott - Murdoch University
Karen Broadhurst - Lancaster University
Fred Wulczyn - Social Welfare Department
Melissa O’Donnell - Department for Child Protection and Family Support
Publication Details: Children and youth services review, Vol.185, 108963
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Number of pages: 9
Identifiers: 991005877841807891
Murdoch Affiliation: Ngangk Yira Institute for Change
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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