Just came across this report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The report indicates that child protection notifications in Australia have risen from 42, 695 (at a rate of 10.4 per 1000 children) in 1989-1990 to 286, 437 (at a rate of 56.2 per 1000 children) in 2009-2010.

Similarly, while 12, 406 children (3 per 1000) were in some form of out-of-family care due to protection issues in 1989-1990, in 2009-2010 the number had increased to 35, 895 (7 children per 1000).

So is this good or bad?

Well, it's tragic. But there is something of a positive aligned with it.

First, the negative: The numbers are going up because there is more abuse, neglect, and harm befalling our nation's children. There is no denying it, and no glossing over it. Numbers like this are a disgrace. Nearly 300, 000 children in Australia are in such awful circumstances that child protection agencies in this country are being notified about it. (We have just over 5 million young people in Australia, aged 0-17). One is too many, but a rate of close to 5% of children suffering this is an indictment on our society.

But - there is something to take from this. Australians are more willing than ever before to report abuse, neglect and harm. We have better capability for responding to it. And we have more resources to rescue children.

This is small comfort, however, for anyone who is a child, or anyone with an interest in our children. It seems that we have increased the number of ambulances at the bottom of the cliff. We need to build better fences at the top of the cliff to help parents look after their kids better.

Our kids don't need that much. Sure they're exhausting. Yes, they reduce opportunities to do what we want. But if we exercise some self control, give them our focus and attention, remain warm and sensitive, set limits and teach them patiently, and love them and show it, these numbers would reduce significantly.