Child Safety Sources
Every number on this site, where it comes from, and the report to check it in. Last checked 26 Oct 2026.
| Topic | The figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All child injury | Every 6 minutes an Australian child or teenager is hospitalised with an injury: 88,766 a year (about 89,000), ages 0–18. (525,600 min ÷ 88,766 = 5.9) | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| At home | 45% of child injury hospitalisations happen at home, where the place is recorded. At least 23,000 a year, about one every 23 minutes; probably more, since 4 in 10 records don't say where. | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Babies at home | 9 in 10 (91%) injuries to babies under 1 happen at home | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Toddlers at home | 3 in 4 (74%) injuries to children aged 1–4 happen at home | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| By stage | Ages 1–4: 20% of hospitalisations (about 17,800). Ages 16–18: 22% (about 19,500). | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Falls | 1 in 3 child injury hospitalisations, about 29,000 a year (0–18); about 7,400 aged 1–4 | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Head injury | Head and neck: 70% of injury hospitalisations in babies under 1; 29% across all children | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Drowning deaths | 15 children under 5 drowned in 2024–25, below the 10-year average (about 19); half in home pools | Royal Life Saving, National Drowning Report 2025 |
| Drowning hospital | About 300 children a year hospitalised after drowning incidents (0–18); 179 aged 1–4. Toddlers are 14 times more likely than adults to be hospitalised for drowning. | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Poisoning | About 2,100 children a year hospitalised for accidental poisoning (0–18); 1,185 aged 1–4 (56%) | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Poison calls | Poisons Information Centres take about 200,000 calls a year; toddlers 1–4 are 36% of exposures (about 59,000), babies about 15,000 (2015, latest national report) | Australian Poisons Information Centres 2015 annual report, MJA 2018 |
| Paracetamol | Paracetamol tops the NSW Poisons Information Centre's list of substances (all ages) | Australian Poisons Information Centres 2015 annual report, MJA 2018, NSW PIC |
| Burns | About 2,000 children a year hospitalised with burns; half aged 1–4 (979). Scalds cause 52% of child burns; the typical child burned is 3. | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024, Forster & Griffin, J Children & Young People's Health 2024;5(2), citing BRANZ 2022–23 |
| Choking | Babies under 1 are 7.5 times more likely than adults to be hospitalised for choking or suffocation; about 460 hospitalisations a year (0–18), 114 infants | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Button batteries | About 20 children a week go to emergency with a suspected swallowed or inserted button battery. At least three Australian children have died since 2013. | Button battery dangers (3 Nov 2020, citing Product Safety Australia |
| Transport (comparison) | Transport causes about 12,000 child injury hospitalisations a year (14%) | AIHW, Injuries in children and adolescents 2021–22 (ages 0–18), updated 18 Apr 2024 |
| Worker deaths | 222 workers died from traumatic injuries at work in 2025, 1.5 per 100,000 workers; the most in a year since 2012 (5-year average 197) | Safe Work Australia, Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2026 (released 12 Oct 2026, 2025 data |
| Mining deaths | Mining: 7 worker deaths in 2025, 2.3 per 100,000 workers | Safe Work Australia, Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2026 (released 12 Oct 2026, 2025 data |
| Serious work claims | About 147,200 serious workers' compensation claims in 2024–25 (preliminary), more than 400 a day | Safe Work Australia, Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2026 (released 12 Oct 2026, 2025 data |
| Pool access (Qld) | 46 children under 5 drowned in Queensland home pools, 2005–2015. Way in: gate propped open 28.3%, fence in disrepair 19.6%, no fence 13.0%. Four-sided fencing twice as effective as three-sided (Pitt & Balanda 1991, cited there). | Franklin & Peden, Improving pool fencing legislation in Queensland, IJERPH 2017;14(12):1450 |
| Pool barrier rules (Qld) | Barrier at least 1200 mm high; gaps no more than 100 mm; trim branches within 900 mm; gates self-close and self-latch from all positions, not opening inward | Queensland Government, Tips for a safe pool (21 Jun 2022 |
| Button battery burns | A lodged button battery can cause severe burns in as little as 2 hours. Mandatory standards since 22 June 2022; compartments need a tool or 2 independent and simultaneous movements. | Queensland Government, Button batteries |
| Toppling furniture | Toppling furniture has killed 27 Australians since 2000; 20 were children under 7 (reported Aug 2021) | Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, reprinting The Guardian, 11 Aug 2021 |
| Hot water | Bathroom hot water limited to 50°C in new and renovated bathrooms (Victoria); systems installed before 5 Aug 1998 likely deliver above 50°C | Plumbing Connection quoting the Victorian Building Authority, 12 Jul 2022 |
| Accident triangles | Heinrich (1931): 1 serious : 29 minor : 300 no-injury. Bird & Germain (1969): 1 major : 10 minor : 30 property damage : 600 near misses. Unverified; treat as an idea, not a law. | Rebbitt, Pyramid power, Professional Safety, Sep 2014 (Heinrich 1931 and Bird & Germain 1969 ratios, Table 1 |
| Emotional abuse | Nearly 1 in 3 Australians (30.9%) were emotionally abused as children | Australian Child Maltreatment Study, MJA 2023 |
| Maltreatment types | Exposure to domestic violence 39.6%, physical abuse 32.0%, emotional abuse 30.9%, sexual abuse 28.5%, neglect 8.9% | Australian Child Maltreatment Study, MJA 2023 |
| Child protection | Emotional abuse is 60% of substantiated cases (22,800 children, 2024–25). 45,900 children on care and protection orders and 34,600 in out-of-home care (30 Jun 2025). | AIHW, Child protection Australia 2024–25 (21 Jul 2026 |
| Inequality | First Nations children: 39 substantiations per 1,000 vs 5.8 non-Indigenous. Very remote 25 vs major cities 6.0 per 1,000. A third of cases come from the poorest areas. | AIHW, Child protection Australia 2024–25 (21 Jul 2026 |
| Self-injury | About 1 in 9 teenagers (11%) self-injured in the past year at 16–17. Girls: 1 in 4 (26%) by 17; boys 9%. | AIFS LSAC self-injury release, 30 Sep 2021 |
| Self-harm hospital | Rates highest at 15–19 (256 per 100,000), about 8 times under-15s (31). Girls 15–19: 405 vs boys 114 per 100,000 (3.5 times). | AIHW Suicide and self-harm monitoring, young people, 2023–24 |
| Keep Watch | Four actions for children 0–4: Supervise, Restrict, Teach, Respond. Active supervision = within arms' reach, 'eyes on' and 'hands on'. Water awareness classes from 6 to 36 months. | Royal Life Saving, Keep Watch actions (read 28 Oct 2026 |
| Pool barriers (WA) | Required for pools, spas and portable pools with more than 30 cm of water. At least 1.2 m high; gaps no more than 100 mm (between bars and under fence and gate); non-climbable zones of 900 mm; gates swing outwards, self-close from any position and self-latch; latch release at least 1500 mm high (option 1). Council inspects at least every four years. Gates are the most common way in for young children who drowned. | WA Government, Swimming pool and spa safety barrier requirements (read 28 Oct 2026). ; booklet Rules for Pools and Spas (LGIRS, Dec 2025 |
| Pool drowning (WA) | Young children in WA pools and spas: 19 fatal and 174 non-fatal drownings, Jul 2012–Jun 2022. Average deaths 4.9 a year (1988–1996) vs 1.9 a year (2012–2022). | WA Government, Swimming pool and spa safety barrier requirements (read 28 Oct 2026). ; booklet Rules for Pools and Spas (LGIRS, Dec 2025 |
| Safe sleep | Six steps, birth to 1 year: back to sleep; head and face uncovered; smoke-free before and after birth; safe sleep space night and day; own space in parents' room for at least 6 months; breastfeed if possible. Mattress within 20 mm of cot sides and ends. No soft toys or comforters until at least 7 months (corrected). Advice line 1300 998 698. | Red Nose, Grandparents and safe sleeping (six recommendations, safe sleep space; read 28 Oct 2026). ; advice line and rolling FAQ |
| Rolling | Most babies start rolling around 4–5 months; still place on back; move to cot, stop wrapping | Red Nose, Grandparents and safe sleeping (six recommendations, safe sleep space; read 28 Oct 2026). ; advice line and rolling FAQ |
| Toppling furniture (ACCC) | At least 28 people killed in Australia since 2000, including 17 children under five; more than 900 Australians a year need medical help; "nearly 20 injuries every week". Information standard in force 4 May 2025 (storage units and bookcases 686 mm+, entertainment units any height, hall tables etc. 686 mm+). | ACCC Product Safety, Toppling furniture and televisions guide ; news 5 May 2025 ; standard |
| Blind cords | ACCC (2014): one to two Australian children die from blind or curtain cords each year. Qld OFT (Feb 2014): at least 12 Australian children have died since 2000. Supply standard 2010 (labels); installation standard from 1 Jan 2015: no loose loop 220 mm or longer below 1,600 mm; cleats at least 1,600 mm up. | ACCC Product Safety, Blinds, curtains and window fittings mandatory standard ; consumer guide ; Safety Standard 2014 (commences 1 Jan 2015) ; news 5 Aug 2014 and 11 Feb 2014 |
| Kidsafe home rules (checklist) | Bathroom hot water max 50°C; bath for young children about 38°C; boiled water scalds for up to 30 minutes; cool a burn under running water at least 20 minutes; blind/curtain cords at least 1600 mm above the floor; cot rails 50–95 mm apart; bunk beds not for children under 9; pool barrier for pools holding more than 30 cm; trampolines made to AS 4989, one child at a time, pads on; "child resistant is NOT child proof" | Kidsafe Australia, A Parent's Guide to Kidsafe Homes (Oct 2020), incl. "Visiting" and the home safety checklist (read 28 Oct 2026 |
| Visiting homes | Homes with no children are likely to have many hazards within easy reach. Handbags are a "magnet" and often hold medicines or lighters. Children have been injured being lifted into ceiling fans. Parents often didn't know there was a pool, spa, pond or dam at the home visited. Crawl through rooms on hands and knees to see hazards. | Kidsafe Australia, A Parent's Guide to Kidsafe Homes (Oct 2020), incl. "Visiting" and the home safety checklist (read 28 Oct 2026 |
| Grandparents' medicines | Medicine may be more accessible "when grandparents who take medicine regularly are visiting". Keep your handbag and visitors' handbags out of reach. Most child poisoning hospitalisations are from pharmaceuticals. | Kidsafe Australia, Poisoning information sheet (Mar 2019 |
| Handbags and pill packs (Qld) | 12 toddlers took medicine from a handbag; 8 (67%) potentially toxic; 4 referred to hospital. Only 5 took medicine from Webster packs or dosette containers, but all 5 were psychoactive drugs and all 5 referred for medical care; "Webster packs and dosette containers too pose a risk". Small 2008 series: use as an example, not a rate. | Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit, Medicinal poisoning in Queensland toddlers, Injury Bulletin 101 (May 2008); Qld Poisons Information Centre pilot of 80 solid-medicine ingestions |
| Older WA pools | Pools installed before 5 Nov 2001 may be accessible from the dwelling but need self-closing, self-latching doors and gates and secured windows into the enclosure; from 5 Nov 2001 pools must be completely enclosed, not directly accessible from a dwelling | City of Gosnells (WA), Pool security and inspections (read 28 Oct 2026 |
| Sleepovers | See where your child will stay; ask how many adults will supervise and what safety measures are in place | Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sleeping away from home (sleep overs |
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