The nation's leading child abuse prevention researchers will bring together the latest research and practice aimed at stopping violence against children at a QUT-hosted symposium this month.
Australia lost 238 children at the hands of their parents in the decade to June 2012; while new QUT research has quantified the proportion of depression, anxiety and self-harm attributable to child abuse.
Professor Kerry Mallan, Director of the QUT Children and Youth Research Centre which is hosting the Prevention of Violence Against Children Symposium (November 17 and 18) said the aim is to address these statistics and underlying issues and set out a way forward.
"Australian researchers and people in the field working with young people will put forward evidence-based measures to ensure that violence prevention initiatives are sustainable in the long term" Professor Mallan said.
Issues covered in the symposium include:
- The burden of child abuse in Australia and the contribution it makes to depression, anxiety and self-harm - Professor Michael Dunne
- Redesigning systems to prevent child abuse research - QUT Professor Ben Mathews and UNICEF Indonesia's chief child protection officer Lauren Rumble, who is also a QUT PhD student.
- Effective practice - Q& A panel with representatives from Foundation for Young Australians, BoysTown, Australian Institute of Criminology.
- National Children's Commissioner Megan Mitchell will give the opening address highlight the child rights issue of our time - freedom from violence.
Professor Mallan said keynote speaker Professor Arney, University of South Australia's Australian Centre for Child Protection director, will talk about how Australia has had 37 inquiries and reviews into the child protection system in the past 10 years.
"Obviously something radically different has to be done because despite all these responses to child abuse nothing much has changed," Professor Mallan said.
"Professor Arney will outline the factors maintaining ineffective and inefficient care and protection systems for children and suggest what needs to be done," she said.
"Lauren Rumble, from UNICEF Indonesia will speak about the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to end violence against children, and particularly against girls and harmful practices such, as child marriage and female genital mutilation."
The prevention of violence against children: research, policy and practice symposium is hosted by QUT Children and Youth Research Centre on November 17 and 18 at Gardens Theatre, Gardens Point campus.
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au.
After hours: 0407 585 901.
