Violence against children and young people costs NSW $11.2 billion a year

New research by the Office of the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP) has shown that the cost of violence against children and young people in NSW amounts to an estimated $11.2 billion annually. 

 

According to The Economic Cost of Violence Against Children and Young People report, which ACYP commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to undertake, there were 154,302 estimated cases of violence against children and young people in NSW in one year alone.

 

Using figures from 2016-2017 the report focused solely on violence against children and young people aged 0-24 years of age, and revealed that violence against children not only impacts on their lives but also has a tremendous economic impact on New South Wales. 

 

Key findings from the report, in relation to the total $11.2 billion estimate, include:

 

• $2.3 billion of the total cost is borne by NSW health, education child protection, housing and justice systems directly 
• $8.2 billion is borne by individuals and the broader community; and,
• $600 million by the Federal Government directly

 

NSW Advocate for Children and Young People, Andrew Johnson said that every act of violence against children and young people causes “enormous physical, sexual or psychological damage, however this report outlines the magnitude of violence against children and young people from a financial perspective”.

 

The report seeks to understand the long-lasting impact violence has on children and young people who experience it and includes the costs to individuals, to health, education, family and community services and housing budgets as well as productivity. 

 

ACYP commissioned the report on the back of extensive consultations with thousands of children and young people in NSW carried out by ACYP since 2015, in which they continually named violence as a major issue for them. 

 

A key recommendation from the consultations was the development of a campaign targeting adults to address their concerns. The subsequent campaign developed is known as End Violence against Children Now and Forever

 

“Children and young people told us they needed adults to stand up and say out loud that violence perpetrated against them is just plain wrong. We know from the testimony of thousands of witnesses at the Royal Commission, that their voices were not heard. In light of this, our job is to listen more, trust more and start systematising the voices of children and young people at all levels and act upon their concerns,” a spokesperson said. 

 

As part of the ongoing campaign, ACYP is urging Australian adults to show their commitment to ending violence against children and young people by signing this pledge.

 

For more information on the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People please visit the website.