Caution:
This site includes information about child deaths, which some readers may find distressing. If you need support, free and confidential help is available.
We wish to convey our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the infants, children and young people in NSW who have died. It is our foremost responsibility to learn from these deaths and to use that knowledge to make a difference.
2009-2023
We analyse and report on every child death in NSW to understand patterns, risks and opportunities for prevention.
The CDRT was established in 1996 and operates under the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 (NSW). Our work informs legislation, evidence-based policy, practice and services that affect the lives of children.
We turn evidence into action, shaping evidence-based prevention across government and community sectors.
Findings collected
2009-2023
Page last updated
5 November 2025
Over the 15 years from 2009-2023, infant and child mortality rates in NSW have continued to decline.
These improvements mirror national trends and are evident in both natural and external causes of death.
For infants, the decline is mostly due to improvements for neonates in relation to death from natural causes. Both male and female infants, infants in both major cities and regional and remote areas and those from the most disadvantaged areas saw improvement.
For children, the decline is mostly due to a reduction in the mortality rate for children aged 1-9 years with improvements evident for female children, non-Indigenous children, children living in major cities and those from the most disadvantaged areas.
In 2022 and 2023, 471 infants died (53% of all child deaths). Most (395, 84%) died from natural causes, mainly in the first month of life (320, 68%). Perinatal conditions, including prematurity, are the leading causes of death for infants.
In 2022 and 2023, 414 children aged 1-17 years died (47% of all child deaths). More than half (237, 57%) died from natural causes. The leading cause of death for children aged 1–9 was cancer; for those aged 10–17 it was transport, followed by suicide.
Despite overall improvements in child mortality, certain groups are at greater risk. Over the 15 years (2009-2023) mortality was higher for:
The rate was 1.2 times higher for male infants and 1.4 times higher for male children aged 1-17 years, than for female infants and children.
The rate was 2.7 times higher for neonates (0-4 weeks) than post-neonates (5 weeks - < 1 year).
The rate for young people aged 15-17 years was higher than for all other children aged 1-14 years.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, the rate was 1.8 times higher for infants and 1.4 times higher for children aged 1-17 years, than for non-Indigenous infants and children.
The rate was 1.5 times higher for children aged 1-17 years living in regional and remote areas than for those living in major cities.
For children living in the areas of greatest disadvantage, the rate was 1.9 times higher for infants and 1.8 times higher for children aged 1-17 years, than for those from the areas of least disadvantage.
We define a child as having a ‘child protection history’ if a report about the safety, welfare or wellbeing of that child and/or their sibling was made to DCJ’s Child Protection HelpLine or to a Child Wellbeing Unit within the 3 years before their death.
Consistent with our previous reports, infants and children with a child protection history are over-represented in child deaths in 2022 and 2023. Of the 885 children who died in NSW in 2022 and 2023, 28% (252) had a child protection history.
Between 2009–2023:
The table below shows the average proportion of all children who died and had a child protection history by category of death, over the 15 years from 2009 - 2023.
Category | Average % with CPH |
|---|---|
Drowning | 37% |
Homicide | 38% |
Natural causes | 17% |
SUDI | 45% |
Suicide | 47% |
Transport | 34% |
Our work highlights both progress and persistent risks. These include:
These insights help drive our recommendations, research and collaboration for system change. More information about these insights and other data trends can be found in our latest Biennial report.
We make evidence-based recommendations to reduce preventable child deaths in NSW. Recommendations can be directed to government, non-government and the community.
NSW Health provide information and resources about the significant risk of children being left in vehicles in any circumstance, as well as the risk of fatal distraction for parents and carers, in both the Baby Bundle bag, a free initiative by NSW Health to provide new parents in NSW with practical information and products to support their baby’s health and development, and to child and family health services.
The information and resources should include but not be limited to:
The Mental Health Commission (as well as the Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Council and the Suicide Prevention Council, when advising the Commission) consider the findings of the Holding Hope: Preventing Suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People in New South Wales report, including for the purpose of:
Noting the increasing rate of death by suicide for children younger than 15 years, and for female children their rates of self-harm, the NSW Government ensure that the statewide suicide prevention plan and statewide Aboriginal suicide prevention plan under the Suicide Prevention Act 2025, and any new mental health initiatives, contain measures focused specifically on children younger than 15 years and targeted towards addressing risk factors (including individual and societal).
Noting the increasing rate of death by suicide for children younger than 15 years, and for female children their rates of self-harm, the Australian Government ensure that any actions and initiatives that support the National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025–2035, and any new mental health initiatives aimed at children and young people, contain measures focused specifically on children younger than 15 years and targeted towards addressing risk factors (including individual and societal).
The NSW Department of Education, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, and Catholic Schools NSW conduct joint research to better understand and respond to school disconnection as a suicide and other related risk factor. This research should involve those with lived or living experience of school disconnection and/or youth suicide.
The NSW Government should include in any suicide prevention plan specific measures targeted to school-aged children and young people across the spectrum of need. In particular, this should include:
Prior to the completion of the NSW Health evaluation of the substance use in pregnancy and parenting services (SUPPS), and in consultation with the NSW Health Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAOD), DCJ should review and make necessary amendments to its own internal guidance (such as the Alcohol and Other Drugs Practice Kit) about working with pregnant women and parents using methamphetamines in response to the 2024 NSW Health SUPPS Guidance.
Following completion of the NSW Health evaluation of the substance use in pregnancy and parenting services (SUPPS), DCJ and NSW Health jointly commission expert research into pre- and post-natal health and community services for pregnant women and parents using methamphetamines. This research should involve those with lived or living experience of methamphetamine use. The research should identify:
This NSW Health SUPPS evaluation is anticipated to be completed in mid-2027.