BackThe report concerns the 885 children who died in NSW in 2022 and 2023 and includes information about longer term trends in child mortality between 2009 and 2023.
Infant and child mortality rates in NSW fell between 2009 and 2023 across most causes of death – including deaths from natural causes and deaths due to external causes such as transport, drowning, and other unintentional injury-related causes. The infant mortality rate is 33% lower in 2023 than 2009, and for children aged 1–17 years, the mortality rate is 20% lower.
However, there has been little change in the mortality rate for homicide deaths over the 15 years and, in contrast to the overall decline in infant and child mortality rates, the rate of suicide has increased over the 15-year period.
For infants whose deaths were sudden and unexpected (SUDI) there has been no improvement in the rate of identifying a cause of death – critical to the prevention of SUDI. Over the 15 years, 65% of SUDI deaths remain unexplained after investigation.
“The data is encouraging in that we are able to report on the overall downward trend in child mortality” said NSW Ombudsman, Paul Miller “but this is unfortunately undermined by the prevalence of youth suicide, and persistent inequalities across lower socio-economic and geographically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and children with a child protection history.”
The report contains discussion of 3 key focus areas: Deaths due to asthma, School connectedness and suicide prevention, and Methamphetamine detection in infant deaths. The report identifies issues, highlights current research and recommends further research and prevention activities about these topics.
The report also makes recommendations in relation to infants and children being left unattended in vehicles, and suicide prevention.
The report found that while the leading cause of death differed by age, natural causes (including cancer) result in more deaths than external causes (including transport and suicide) for children. For infants, the leading cause of death was perinatal conditions (arising from complications of pregnancy, prematurity, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders) and for children aged 1-9 years, the leading cause of death was cancer.
“On behalf of the Child Death Review Team and the NSW Ombudsman, I wish to convey my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the infants, children and young people who have died, and whose deaths are considered in this report” said Mr Miller. “Each child’s death has a profound impact on their families and community. It is our responsibility that, in reviewing these deaths, we learn from them and use that knowledge to make a difference.”
Kindly click here to read the Child Deaths in NSW 2022 and 2023 Biennial Report to Parliament.
Source: The Office of the NSW Ombudsman, Australia
