This year marks the 5th year of operation of the Queensland Family and Child Commission, and the 15th year of reporting on the deaths of children and young people in Queensland. This responsibility of the Commission is an important function which seeks to save and protect children from injury, harm and death.
The report focuses on the circumstances and risk factors surrounding the deaths of the children and young people who lost their life over the past year. These deaths are the result of natural and external causes. External causes of death include transport incidents, drowning, suicide and accidental and nonaccidental trauma.
In the 12-month period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, the deaths of 386 children and young people aged 0–17 years were registered in Queensland.
Diseases and morbid conditions (natural causes) accounted for 68% of deaths of children (261 deaths). Deaths from natural causes are most likely to occur in the first days and weeks of life, with infants accounting for 75 per cent of these deaths in 2018–19.
Infant mortality in Queensland was 3.6 per 1000 live births, down from 3.9 deaths per 1000 in 2017–18.
Child mortality from external (or non-natural) causes includes deaths from injuries, either nonintentional (accidental) injuries such as transport incidents or drowning, or from intentional injuries, which includes suicide and fatal assault and neglect. Due to the relatively small numbers involved, caution should be exercised in interpreting year-to-year changes.