ABSTRACT SUBMISSION HAS NOW CLOSED

Call for Abstracts

The Scientific Program Committee invites submission of abstracts for oral papers, symposia, workshops or poster presentations, on topics that align with the abstract streams listed below.

Oral presentations - will be allocated 20 minutes in concurrent sessions

Symposia - will be allocated 75 minutes in concurrent sessions and should be composed of 3 to 5 papers on a related theme.

Workshops - will be allocated 75 minutes in concurrent sessions. Workshops should provide education or training on elements of policy, program or service delivery or approaches to working directly with children, families and/or communities.

Posters - will be displayed in the main break out area and time will be allocated for short presentations. In addition to the traditional written poster format, a number of audiovisual posters may be accepted for display - that is, those that use short films, powerpoint presentations or photo slide shows that can be displayed on projector screens or monitors (subject to sponsorship of equipment). Authors wishing to submit audiovisual posters should submit a request and provide an outline of their presentation concept via the online abstract submission form.

You can indicate your preference for oral paper, symposia, workshop or poster presentation on the online abstract submission form. All submitted abstracts will be peer reviewed. The Scientific Program Committee reserves the right to decide the format of presentations and in which stream they will be presented on the basis of time and space available.

Note for Young Participants

If you wish to share your experiences of child protection systems, or are involved in projects or programs that promote the safety and wellbeing of young people, you are warmly invited to submit a paper or poster to the wider Conference program. You can present as part of a team, or with others, but at least one presenter is required to attend the Conference in Perth to present the paper or poster. You may also submit materials or a presentation to the Young Participants Program.

Abstract submission instructions

Abstracts are to be submitted via the Conference website. Abstracts should be a maximum of 300 words. On completion of the on–line form, you will be issued with an Access Key, which you should record for future use. The Access Key will provide you with access to your submission at a later date if you need to add details or make changes prior to the submission deadline.

The closing date for abstract submission is Tuesday 31 March 2009. Submission of abstracts will not be accepted after this date.

Successful presenting authors are required to register for the Conference in order to ensure their abstract is included in the final program. The deadline for presenting author registration is Friday 14 August 2009. For more information regarding the format of abstracts please click on the Submit Abstract button below.

Abstract streams

Abstracts are invited for topics in the following streams:

1. Translating research into practice
   - evidence, innovation and policy direction

It is generally accepted that much of the current policy and practice in preventing or responding to child abuse and neglect does not have a basis in rigorous research. In order to share knowledge of 'what works', papers are invited that describe:

• Research that can inform policy and practice in child protection and child abuse prevention, including evaluations of current programs and approaches;
• Innovative or promising policies, approaches or programs, that have been developed to meet new and long standing challenges to the welfare of children across the globe;
• New approaches or methods for evaluating or measuring 'success'; and
• The process of successfully translating research into policy and practice.

2. Moving 'upstream' to prevent child abuse and neglect
   - building holistic, child-focused systems

Primary prevention strategies for keeping children cared for, safe and well are often based in the development of universal or 'whole of community' education campaigns and service provision. The availability of good basic services for children and families across health, housing, welfare, child care, education and justice, together with opportunities to participate fully in the social and political life of family and community, are recognised as enhancing the safety and wellbeing of all children.

Additional targeted services are required for vulnerable children and families, including services which address mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic and family violence and homelessness while acknowledging the particular needs of children within these circumstances. Papers are invited that:

• Explore the development or reform of universal service systems to prevent child abuse and neglect;
• Describe innovation and good practice in universal or 'whole of community' services, and/or services for 'at risk' or vulnerable children and families; or
• Describe effective responses to the needs of children in adult oriented services.

3. Individual, community and corporate responsibility
   - creating child and youth friendly societies

'Child protection is everybody's responsibility' and 'it takes a village to raise a child' are sayings in recognition that the engagement and actions of the whole community is required if societies are to effectively address child maltreatment. Papers are invited that:

• Describe approaches for the successful engagement of neighborhoods and communities;
• Describe community-based prevention programs that have been successful in achieving attitude and/or behaviour change;
• Explore the role of the corporate sector and the media in the prevention of child abuse and the creation of a child friendly society; or
• Examine effective mechanisms for the engagement and participation of young people, their families and communities.

Young people and their families have insights on the ways things are being done and preventative ways of working which will have a refreshing and valuable immediacy for practice and long-term implications for legislation, policy and research. Papers from young people and/or their advocates that showcase innovative youth and family engagement programs are encouraged.

4. Indigenous* and culturally diverse perspectives
   - policy and practice

A key objective of the Conference is to contribute to the development of cross-cultural and international perspectives on child abuse prevention and child protection. Recognising the need for approaches that respect and takes into account cultural differences within countries and across the region, and the importance of community participation or ownership in developing effective solutions, papers are sought that provide Indigenous, culturally diverse or cross-cultural perspectives on research, policy and practice.

* 'Indigenous', in the context of this conference, refers to the original inhabitants of the land in each country that is represented in the Australasian and Asia Pacific regions. In Australia, the Indigenous people are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

5. International issues
   - multilateral and regional strategies for prevention of child abuse

Child abuse and neglect is common to all nations, although priorities and approaches to addressing such harm differ greatly. Papers are invited that report on:

• Promising or effective initiatives or approaches to cross-border child abuse and neglect concerns, including the trafficking of children, child labor, sex tourism, and internet-based sexual exploitation;
• Child abuse prevention and child protection approaches that may be translated to different cultural, societal and geographical contexts; and
• Effective professional-community partnerships, inter-agency and inter-professional collaborations in education, training and service delivery.

6. Developments in statutory child protection
   - investigations, assessments, legal outcomes, remedial and therapeutic responses

Preventing child abuse and neglect relies heavily on health, welfare, education and justice agencies actively participating in child protection (i.e. the response to vulnerable, �at risk� and maltreated children and their families). Modern child protection systems are investing in strategies such as information sharing, co-location of services, inter-disciplinary teamwork, cross-border policing, and the development of common assessment tools in an effort to enhance the effectiveness of statutory and forensic child protection. Presentations are sought that:

• Describe system innovation and reform in statutory child protection systems across the Asia-Pacific region - from treatment and counseling of child victims and families, family preservation, investigation and assessment practice, to out of home care;
• Present evidence of what works and that explore the development of systems, current challenges, and future service system reforms; or
• Challenge the dominant ideology, philosophy, structure and the very language of 'child protection' and the prevention of maltreatment and offer alternative views on how child abuse and neglect should be addressed or 'child protection' systems reformed.