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Headline data

Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month
Year Value Units Series
2015 726.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2016 776.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2017 459.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2018 441.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2019 340.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2020 903.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2021 1492.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2022 1597.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2023 1608.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2024 1450.0 Number of referrals Total number of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years
2015 11.5 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2016 12.1 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2017 7.0 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2018 6.6 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2019 5.0 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2020 13.0 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2021 21.8 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2022 23.3 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2023 23.2 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14
2024 20.8 Per 1,000 population aged 0-14 Rate of active and new referrals received by the Child Protection Services concerning service users aged <1 to 14 years, per 1,000 population aged 0-14

Source: The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS)

Geographical Area:

Unit of Measurement:

Footnote:

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Goal

Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Indicator

Indicator 16.2.1: Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month
Target

Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
Metadata update

2024-09-27
International organisations(s) responsible for global monitoring

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Related indicators

Not applicable

This table provides metadata for the proxy data used (closest to the UN SDG indicator) to report on the progress towards achieving the SDG Target. Please note that even when data for the actual UN SDG indicator is fully available, this table should still be consulted for any additional specific metadata information.

Method of computation

Notes:

  1. All alleged abuse types that apply are selected at referral; therefore, the total number of referrals is not computed using the totals of the different types of abuse.
  2. A case is recorded every time a service user contacts the Child Protection Service.
  3. Persons and types of abuse may be counted more than once since service users may be referred to the service more than once during the same reporting year.
  4. A case may remain active across the reporting years (carried over from one year to another).
  5. Since 2020, referrals data include all intake cases as well as cases that were still pending an outcome by the end of the reporting year.
  6. Increases observed are also due to a mandatory reporting provision introduced in 2021. Furthermore, the increase observed in 2020 is attributed to a change in data collection method and the type of data collected. The FSWS developed an online case management system and the Child Protection Service fully migrated into the online system in 2020.
  7. The rate of referrals is based on the mid-year population of children aged 0-14.
Data last updated Nov 09, 2025
Metadata last updated Mar 31, 2025

Source 1

Organisation

The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS)
Relevant Series

1,2

Source 2

Organisation

National Statistics Office (NSO) Malta
Relevant Series

2
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