Case Study: Telethon Kids Institute achieves data-driven child maltreatment prevention with SAS Analytics

Research aims to prevent child maltreatment in Australia

Telethon Kids Institute, a leading Australian children’s health research organization, faced the challenge of preventing child maltreatment amid rising reports and incomplete data on risk and protective factors. Researchers needed to collect, link and prepare millions of de-identified records from multiple sources to identify where early intervention could best reduce harm to vulnerable children.

Using SAS analytics to load, transform and analyse population-level linked data, Telethon completed a landmark study showing children with disabilities account for one in three substantiated maltreatment allegations and that risk varies by disability type (higher for intellectual disability, mental health and conduct disorders; not elevated for autism, Down syndrome or birth defects). The findings accelerated evidence-based policy discussions, produced peer‑reviewed publications, streamlined the data-to-publication process, and helped target prevention and early-intervention efforts to better protect children.

Telethon Kids Institute

Scott Sims

Data Analyst