Dr Divna Haslam

Biography

My research aims to ensure all children have access to safe, stable, violence-free childhoods. This spans from extensive work on evidence-based parenting programs (Triple P) to epidemiological work on child maltreatment and adverse childhood experiences. As both a clinical psychologist and a research academic I use a prevention lens to target risk and protective factors to enhance child and family well-being and to mitigate the impact of early adversity. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade contracted me as a specialist to provide consultation to the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture in the area of parenting, and I have provided similar consultation to governments in the UK, EU, and Canada about the dissemination of prevention and early intervention parenting programs. I have  >30 publications and 4 invited book chapters. The Workplace Triple P Program I developed with Prof Matt Sanders AO has been disseminated by the QLD government and measures I have developed have been translated into 7 languages. I am frequently called on by the media for comment.

My current focus is the first major prevalence study of child maltreatment in Australia. The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) will be surveying up to 10 000 Australians across a range of age groups about their childhood experiences (including maltreatment, bullying, and exposure to ACESs) as well as information about their current physical and mental health and adult exposure to intimate partner violence. This is the first study nationwide epidemiological study of maltreatment and its impact in Australia.