Institute of Child Protection Studies
Children and young people do best when they live and grow in safe and thriving families and communities. Their safety and wellbeing are central to our work. Understanding their experiences and providing them opportunities to inform our work helps us create evidence-informed solutions for services, systems, policies and practices. Together we can play a part in fostering thriving communities.
Understanding the nature and extent of child abuse and neglect at personal, societal and systems levels to help organisations and governments prevent and respond to maltreatment.
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Understanding effective safeguarding practices that build child-safe cultures and environments, and helping institutions understand how to apply the evidence
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Identifying ways to support educators, policy makers, and practitioners in community services with initiatives that are focused on the child, youth and family.
More on services
Focusing on the needs and experiences of children in statutory care and ways to strengthen services and processes.
More on protection systems
Working with children, young people and families to inform policies, practices and programs.
More on children and families
Shaping policies, programs and practices through child-centred research and practice
More on child-centred research
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As thousands of Australian senior school students enjoy or prepare to set off for schoolies celebrations, an ACU child protection expert has issued top tips to keep the...
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ACU's Institute of Child Protection Studies is celebrating 20 years at the forefront of efforts to safeguard children, support families, advocate for positive change, a...
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Young people who experience multiple types of maltreatment in childhood have a 55 per cent higher rate of problematic alcohol use compared with those who do not experie...
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Young people want disability to stop being seen as something that needs to be "fixed", new ACU research shows.
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Novels popular with young readers often feature harmful themes including violence and misogyny according to new research, sparking calls for an industry-wide book ratin...
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Australian religious leaders have highlighted “significant barriers” to child safeguarding practices in their organisations, new ACU research shows.
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Abused children taken into out-of-home care do not have a higher risk of poor mental health outcomes compared with those with similar maltreatment experiences who remai...
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New publication identifies critical barriers that out-of-home care service providers face when supporting children with mental health issues.
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With a new minister for early childhood education, how can government make centres safer? Two ACU researchers have suggestions for ministers, parents and caregivers.
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This week, more reports emerged of horrific abuse of children at childcare centres. An ABC investigation reported young children had suffered burns and been verbally ab...
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Is your research passion in child wellbeing and prevention of abuse, neglect and maltreatment?
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Prioritising children's mental and physical safety and wellbeing while participating in organised sports should be the number one goal, according to an ACU safeguarding...
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Meet our colleagues who are exploring ways with us to support children and young people, bringing multidisciplinary expertise from education, health sciences and law.
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We are delighted that another edition of Children Australia has hit the press.
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Did you miss out on our webinar? A recording is now available: Safeguarding children & young people in sport - the state of play.
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A warm welcome to Dr Emma Hussey, joining us in the ACT as Research Associate. Vicky has a fascinating record of research in digital criminology, digilantism, online pe...
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A warm welcome to Dr Vicky Saunders, joining us as Senior Research Fellow in the ACT. Vicky is committed to conducting research that addresses social justice issues imp...
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Wishing you a joyous and peaceful festive season.
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A new ACU study has found sibling sexual abuse is most often demonstrated by male siblings with a history of maltreatment or a learning disability.
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We are excited to be offering two new positions based in Canberra: Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow and Research Associate.
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We are delighted to have contributed to the newly published revitalised journal for child, youth and family services.
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If your research passion is in child wellbeing and prevention of abuse, neglect and maltreatment, the Institute of Child Protection Studies could supervise your studies...
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This year's theme "Every conversation matters" reminds us how important it is to listen and to believe children and young people when they have concerns.
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Professor Daryl Higgins and the team behind the landmark Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) who have won a Queensland Child Protection Week Award.
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One in 250 Australians were sexually abused during childhood by a leader or other adult in a religious organisation, new research led by ACU shows.
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The Tuned In modules provide practical guidance on how to make group settings safe for young people to talk about sensitive issues.
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We are inviting religious leaders to share their experiences on child safeguarding practices. Insights into policies and practices and where efforts are still needed wi...
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How does autism affect the sibling relationship in families with an autistic adolescent family member?
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Revelations that a student shared fake nudes of 50 schoolgirls using AI generated photos has raised a thorny issue. This places greater duress on parents and schools on...
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Preventing child sexual abuse can be tackled in many ways. We are familiar with pre-employment screening and Working with Children Checks. But these steps alone are not...
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Lay members of the Catholic Church have scored lowest on a range of child safeguarding measures compared with those holding other roles, new ACU-led global research sho...
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One in 10 Australians has been sexually harassed by a peer during their childhood, new ACU-led research shows.
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Practitioners and researchers have so many measures to choose from - it can be difficult to understand where to start or what to use. Come to our webinar to learn more ...
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If your research passion is in child wellbeing and prevention of abuse, neglect and maltreatment, the Institute of Child Protection Studies could supervise your studies...
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Connecting kids in care to mental health services matters. Your experience in supporting children and young people in out-of-home care can help us learn more. If you ca...
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Families of children with autism told ACU researcher Dr Sebastian Trew of the Institute of Child Protection Studies that the school environment negatively influenced th...
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With school students returning to the classroom, ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies Director Professor Daryl Higgins and ICPS Research Officer Gabrielle Hunt hav...
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Australians with diverse sexualities or genders are three times more likely to experience child maltreatment than heterosexual Australians, or cisgendered males, new AC...
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A warm welcome to Dr Mary Ann Powell, joining us as Senior Research Fellow.
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New ACU research has identified a complex interplay of child, parental, and contextual factors associated with the maltreatment of children by their families.
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In a RESPECT Victoria project on drivers of men's violence against women, we examined a range of factors to understand why child maltreatment occurs.
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ACU study of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic found that their experiences intensified domestic partner violence and financial stre...
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Season’s greetings from all of us at the Institute of Child Protection Studies. All the very best for a merry festive season and happy new year. We will be open till 22...
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Smacking and physical punishment of children in Australia have been highlighted in a national study. A survey of 8500 people has revealed that almost 6 in 10 young peop...
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The Director of ACU's Institute of Child Protection Studies, Professor Daryl Higgins, has examined a new Government website designed to provide a comprehensive picture ...
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ICPS acknowledges the suffering and sorrow of so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples following the result of Saturday's referendum.
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Systemic failures identified by the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings must be addressed to...
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Passionate about children and young people and their safety? Join our team of child and youth focused researchers who are looking for someone to make a difference.
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A Voice to Parliament will give First Nations peoples a greater say on the laws, policies and services that affect families and children. It will provide a national pla...
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Relying only on Working with Children checks is wiping our hands clean of responsibility.
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Workers can play an important role in educating children and young people about respectful relationships.
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Children and young people are more likely to tell someone if an adult rather than a peer is making them feel unsafe, new Australian Catholic University research shows.
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Corporal punishment should be prohibited nationally and supported by a public education campaign and greater access to parental supports, according to a new research pa...
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Australian-first research into the prevalence of childhood maltreatment has revealed almost two-thirds of children who experience any child abuse or neglect have been s...
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Paramedics are an underutilised resource when it comes to safeguarding children in the home, according to a new study highlighting the need to improve paramedics’ abili...
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Too many vulnerable young people known to child protection authorities are dying.
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Royal Commission anniversary highlights need to also safeguard children in non-institutional family settings
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New ACU research has given a rare voice to parents who become involved with child protection authorities during pregnancy or via infant removal.
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We welcome your submission to present at an international congress on parenting and family intervention.
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ACU research has identified four key themes to address to make youth feel safe in faith-based groups.
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Sharing achievements of our dedicated and talented staff.
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We are part of a national campaign that aims to reform Australia’s current legislation, and give parents access to alternative evidence-based parenting strategies.
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Early findings from study show the significant negative impact of child abuse and neglect on people's lives.
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ACU researchers have been awarded more than $2 million in Australian Research Council grants.
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Seven new research centres will enhance ACU’s reputation in the arts, education, health, and theology and philosophy.
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Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven launched the Institute of Religion Politics and Society’s leadership series with a dialogue a...
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Ritual, belief and habituation: Religion and religions from the axial age to the Anthropocene
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Given the plurality of readings of the secularisation thesis, please could you give us a summary of your own take on our sub-discipline’s paradigmatic theory?
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This article is part of the Democracy Futures series, a joint global initiative with the Sydney Democracy Network. The project aims to stimulate fresh thinking about th...
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Prepared by Parliamentary Library Fellow Dr Tom Barnes and a research team from the Australian Catholic University, the research paper, titled ‘Transition to where?’, i...
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This volume takes up the challenge posed by Bryan Turner, when he noted “the absence of any systematic thinking about familial relations, reproduction and citizenship” ...
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We announced last month that Bryan S. Turner and Berna Zengin Arslan were the winners of the 2014 Sociological Review Prize for Outstanding Scholarship for their articl...
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ACU researchers are celebrating after a strong performance in the 2015 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) assessment. The performance affirms ACU’s rapidly risi...
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Following the tragic terror attacks in Paris, the world turns its attention to the organisation behind the carnage. Do we now need to rethink our approach toward ISIS,...
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The terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut have elicited a disturbingly predictable series of responses. We’ve witnessed the usual political posturing, harsh military r...
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The Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation and the Max Planck Society honour Hans Joas and Bryan S. Turner for their research.
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Based on recent research in Detroit, including multiple interviews with its civic, business and political leaders, this is one of the first reports to document these co...
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Children who are physically abused have a high likelihood of being adversely affected into adulthood.
The Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University was established in January 2005 to carry out high quality practice research, evaluation and professional development to enhance outcomes for children, young people and their families. It was established as a partnership between the then ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services (DHCS) now known as HCSD and the University. The Directorate also contracts the Institute to carry out various projects.
Our work is informed by research and driven by a passion to improve the lives of children and young people.
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The ICPS aims to influence policy and practice to achieve positive social change, enhancement of the common good, and improved outcomes for children, young people and families.
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The Safeguarding Children and Young People portal links organisations to resources, training and up-to-date research, helping them create an environment that’s transparent and accountable for keeping children safe.
Visit our Safeguarding children portal
We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday
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