02 Feb Why Staying in School Can Help Keep Vulnerable Teens Safe
New Australian research shows that raising the school-leaving age reduced child maltreatment and emergency hospital visits. Here’s why staying in school matters for vulnerable teens.
When staying at school protects children
Keeping teenagers engaged in school doesn’t just improve learning outcomes — it can also protect their health and safety. New Australian research has found that extending compulsory schooling significantly reduced child maltreatment and injury-related hospital visits among young people, particularly those already at risk.
The study examined a 2009 South Australian reform that raised the school-leaving age from 16 to 17*. Researchers found that making school compulsory at 16 led to fewer reports of child harm and fewer visits to hospital emergency departments — clear signs that staying in education can act as a protective buffer for vulnerable teenagers.
What the research found
The study, led by researchers from Monash University and University of South Australia, analysed administrative education, health and child protection records. By comparing children affected by the law change* with similar children who were not, the researchers were able to isolate the impact of compulsory schooling.
Their findings were striking:
- Public school enrolment increased by around 6 per cent
- First-time reports of child maltreatment fell by 38 per cent
- Emergency department visits dropped by 19 per cent, mainly due to fewer injuries
On average each year, the reform resulted in:
- 412 additional children staying enrolled in public school
- 92 fewer children experiencing first-time maltreatment
- 157 fewer emergency department visits
Why school attendance matters
The strongest effects were seen among children who had already had contact with Child Protection Services. For these young people, school attendance appeared to reduce time spent in unsafe environments and increase access to trusted adults and structured support.
Rather than learning outcomes alone, the researchers suggest the benefits came from simply remaining within the education system — attending school regularly, maintaining routine, and staying connected to protective services.
“Overall, extending the school-leaving age played an important role in improving the safety of children at risk,” the researchers concluded.
Beyond education: health and safety benefits
First author Dr Adam Dzulkipli, from Monash University’s Centre for Health Economics, said children who experience abuse or neglect are at higher risk of dropping out of school and experiencing poor health outcomes later in life.
From a policy perspective, he noted, measures that encourage students to stay engaged with school may have broader benefits than previously recognised — including reducing harm and injury.
The researchers also estimated that the reduction in first-time maltreatment translated to an annual saving of $46 million in lifetime costs, including healthcare, government services, productivity losses and premature mortality.
What this means for families and policymakers
Co-author Associate Professor Nicole Black said child maltreatment remains unacceptably high worldwide, with lifelong consequences for affected children. While schools alone cannot prevent harm, this research suggests education policies can play a meaningful role in reducing risk.
For parents, educators and policymakers, the message is clear: keeping teenagers connected to school is not just about academic success — it may also help keep vulnerable young people safer.
The study was published in The Review of Economics and Statistics.
