Parents are three times more likely to assault children this year alone, according to police figures.
The number of attacks by mum and dad on their 10 to 14-year-old children has jumped significantly but experts fear that there are still cases that go unreported. Most common injuries are burns, bruises and broken bones, with babies also facing harm at the hands of their parents, say social workers.
The rise in numbers concerned Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary who has pledged to investigate the reasons behind this sudden rise.
In 2010-11, there were 958 reports on assaults against children by parents up from 630 in the previous year.
