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18 March 2021: It's time to break the culture of silence around abuse
23 November 2020
ACU’s Institute of Child Protection Studies part of new Global Safeguarding Alliance
ACU’s Institute of Child Protection Studies is part of a new Global Safeguarding Alliance (GSA) that will promote knowledge and worldwide exchange on safeguarding and the prevention of abuse of children, adolescents and other vulnerable people.
9 October 2020
ACU research leads to better contact between children in out-of-home care and their parents
ACU news item on kContact, a research project led by Associate Professor Stephanie Taplin, Institute for Child Protection Studies. The kContact research project helped improve supervised contact visits for about 45,000 children in out-of-home care and their birth parents.
23 September 2020
ACU study finds gender diverse students feel unsafe at school
ACU news item on published paper which found that gender diverse youth feel significantly less safe at school than other students. But they trust adults to tackle sexual harassment and support them in risky situations.
23 September 2020
Gender diverse students feel less safe at school: report
Education HG reported that gender diverse youths feel significantly less safe at school than other students but they trust adults to tackle sexual harassment and support them in risky situations. These findings were made by Douglas Russell, Daryl Higgins and co-authors in the paper 'Gender diversity and safety climate perceptions in schools and other youth-serving organisations' published in Children and Youth Services Review.
1 September 2020
Experts call for ‘urgent’ change to Medicare rebate
CathNews reported on an open letter to the federal Government on behalf of the Parenting and Family Research Alliance. Professor Daryl Higgins joined professors John Toumbourou, Chair in Health Psychology at Deakin University, and Jan Nicholson, Director of the Judith Lumley Centre at La Trobe University, to point to the glaring gap in rebates for parenting programs that are effective at improving the mental health of their children and families.
31 August 2020
ACU academic joins call for Medicare change to help protect children’s mental
Catholic Leader reported on a letter to the editor of The Age by Professor Daryl Higgins and prominent health academics calling for an urgent change to Medicare rebates to help address mental health issues among children.
18 August 2020
Letter to the Editor of The Age by leading child protection expert Daryl Higgins and prominent health academics calling for an urgent Medicare rebate change to cover families seeking parenting advice to protect their children’s mental health.
24 February 2020
Virginia Trioli interview on ABC Radio Melbourne with Daryl Higgins Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies; Penny Savidis, partner at Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers; and Professor Donald Palmer, State University of New York, Stony Brook. Discussion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and whether recommendations are being applied.
11 November 2019
How grandmother saved her two grandkids from being poisoned by daughter-in-law
Prof Daryl Higgins offers his view to 9News on the challenges of treating the rare condition Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP). His perspective focuses on the challenges of dealing with MSbP in Australia's courts system, and how the main focus of investigators is to remove a maltreated child from harm.
29 May 2019
Preventing another Stolen Generation in Australia: Crucial lessons from history are being ignored
Article in the Asia and the Pacific Policy Society Forum on research by ACU Associate Professor Stephanie Taplin, and colleagues Melissa O'Donnell and Rhonda Marriott.
1 May 2019
Free professional development to support those working with complex family situations
Article in The Sector promoting the Keeping Kids Central online training program which aims to improve the capacity of practitioners to engage with children and young people who have been exposed to family violence.
April 2019
New online child safety resources deal with family violence
Article in Education Today promoting Keeping Kids Central online modules with practice tools and resources to help build skills that help engage children and young people.
17 April 2019
Crisis in accommodation for homeless young people under the age of 16 in ACT
Dr Debbie Noble-Carr, formerly a Research Fellow at Australian Catholic University, speaks to ABC journalist Tahlia Roy about homeless children in the ACT being forced to seek to unstable alternative shelters.
12 March 2019
First national study of child maltreatment
The Institute of Child Protection Studies is part of an international consortium of researchers who have been granted $2.3 million to study the prevalence and effects of child maltreatment. The comprehensive study will survey 10,000 Australians on the prevalence of the health and economic burden of child maltreatment, including: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to domestic violence. The five-year study, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, is the first ever to examine the health outcomes and burden of disease caused by child maltreatment.
5 March 2020
Researchers call for urgent action to prevent further intergenerational trauma
The Sector reported on a study confirming that Aboriginal children are now 10 times more likely than non-Aboriginal children to be placed in out-of-home care. The researchers call for urgent action to prevent further intergenerational trauma. This research was a collaboration with Murdoch University and the Institute of Child Protection Studies at the Australian Catholic University.
1 March 2019
Spike in Aboriginal child removals spark call for action
ACU news item on a study that confirms that Aboriginal children are 10 times more likely than non-Aboriginal children to be placed in out-of-home care has prompted an urgent call for action to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. Associate Professor Stephanie Taplin from ACU’s Institute of Child Protection Studies was a co-author on the study published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect.
1 March 2020
Spike in Aboriginal child removals sparks call for action
Mirage News reported on research that confirmed that Aboriginal children were still being removed in high numbers, with some people referring to this removal as another Stolen Generation. Research was led by Professor Fiona Stanley, Dr Melissa O’Donnell, Professor Rhonda Marriott, and Associate Professor Stephanie Taplin.
25 February 2020
Indigenous babies being removed from parents at rising rates, study finds
The Guardian reported on study conducted by Associate Profession Stephanie Taplin and colleagues on Indigenous babies being removed from parents at rising rates.
27 February 2020
Rising rate of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care
National Indigenous Times article on new research that has confirmed that Aboriginal children are 10 times more likely than non-Aboriginal children to be placed in out-of-home care, fuelling the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
15 February 2018
Barriers remain for children of prisoners despite 2013 report, study findsArticle in the Canberra Times, discussing ICPS research about children of incarcerated parents.
24 January 2018
ACT has highest rate of Indigenous child care, protection reports in AustraliaArticle in the Sydney Morning Herald, featuring comment from Prof Morag McArthur.
14 December 2017
'It was us against everyone': How abuse survivors will keep pushing for change
Article in The Guardian, featuring comment from Prof Daryl Higgins.
9 December 2017
Never again: can the royal commission help make our children safe?
Article in The Guardian reviewing the history of secrecy and lack of transparency by institutional leaders who set the culture of tolerance of sexual abuse.
28 September 2017:
'Prevention is crucial' in safeguarding children
Article in the CathNews about the Safeguarding Children: Leading Change workshop.
27 September 2017:
Safeguarding children: A workshop in leading change
Article in the Melbourne Catholic about the Safeguarding Children: Leading Change workshop.
26 September 2017:
Safeguarding children is a shared duty
Article in the Melbourne Catholic about the Safeguarding Children: Leading Change workshop.
13 September 2017:
More Canberra kids in care as advocates call for community prevention.
Canberra Times article featuring Prof Morag McArthur.
12 September 2017:
Protecting children from abuse in organisations needs leadership and cultural change
Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Prof Daryl Higgins.
9 September 2017:
Kids in Sport and Safety
Radio interview with Dr Tim Moore on ABC Territory Grandstand.
7 September 2017:
National Child Protection Week
Radio interview with Dr Tim Moore on ABC Darwin with Richard Margetson.
19 March 2017:
'Crisis levels' of Indigenous children in out-of-home care in the ACT (external link)
Canberra Times article featuring the Assoc Prof Stephanie Taplin discussing the kContact project.
15 March 2017:
Child abuse prevention services lacking (external link)
News.com.au article regarding the release of a report about help-seeking needs and gaps for preventing child sexual abuse.
19 December 2016:
Young people feel unsafe in residential care (external link)
Pro Bono Australia article, featuring Dr Tim Moore.
29 October 2016:
Young people reluctant to report sexual abuse, royal commission research finds (external link)
ABC Online article, featuring Dr Tim Moore.
9 September 2016:
How schools can make their students feel safer (external link)
The Educator article, featuring Dr Tim Moore.
8 September 2016:
An alarming number of kids feel uneasy talking to adults about safety (external link)
Huffington Post article featuring Dr Tim Moore.
7 September 2016:
Report calls for greater focus on child safety concerns (external link)
Radio Interview with Dr Tim Moore on ABC Radio National Drive.
Students don't trust schools to protect them from abusers (external link)
Sydney Morning Herald article featuring Dr Tim Moore.
Survey shows children's abuse concerns (external link)
Radio Interview with Prof Morag McArthur on ABC PM with Mark Colvin.
27 April 2016:
ACT Government commits to Institute for Child Protection Studies until 2021 (external link)
Canberra Times article regarding a 5 year funding agreement from the ACT Community Services Directorate. Republished in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
27 April 2016:
Interview with Prof Morag McArthur regarding the extension of CSD funding until 2021 (external link)
Radio interview with Genevieve Jacobs on 666 ABC.
14 April 2016:
Canberra churchgoers seek training to stop child sexual abuse (external link)
ABC Canberra News Article featuring Dr Tim Moore.
4 April 2016:
Interview with Dr Stephanie Taplin regarding treatment for substance using mothers (external link)
Lateline television interview with Emma Alberici.
10 October 2015:
Role reversal: when children become the carers (external link)
Sydney Morning Herald article in 'Good Weekend', featuring Dr Tim Moore.
18 August 2015: What do children and young people have to say about safety in institutions? (external link)
Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Dr Tim Moore, Prof Morag McArthur and Erin Barry.
Republished on Parenthub on 8 September 2015.
17 August 2015:
Kids' 'gut feelings' about creepy adults invaluable in detecting pedophiles
The Australian article by Natasha Bita, regarding the launch of ICPS report on Kids' Safety.
4 August 2015:
Australian children say adults need to listen to their concerns about safety
ABC Interview with Tim Moore regarding the release of the ICPS report on Kids' Safety.
1 July 2015:
More support needed for pregnant women who use alcohol, drugs: ACU report
The Age article by Megan Gorrey, featuring Assoc Prof Stephanie Taplin and the project examining the outcomes of identifying AOD use during pregnancy on women, their children and partners.
Also published in the Sydney Morning Herald and Canberra Times (in print).
17 April 2015:
Adoption has a role in child protection but it's no panacea (external link)
Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Assoc Prof Stephanie Taplin.
29 October 2014:
Foster parents need more support to care for vulnerable children (external link)
Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Prof Morag McArthur and Erin Barry.
5 December 2013:
Prisoners' children are 'forgotten victims' (external link)Canberra Times article by Fleta Page, featuring Vicky Saunders and the ICPS forum held on 3 December regarding children of prisoners in the ACT.
30 November 2013:
Child protection is a community responsibility (external link)Canberra Times article by Peter Jean, about the Institute of Child Protection Studies.
26 November 2013:
Itching for a fight: The motives behind alcohol-fuelled violence (external link)Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Dr Justin Barker and Erin Barry.
31 October 2013:
Children of prisoners need more support (external link)Canberra Times article by Peter Jean, featuring Vicky Saunders and the Children of Prisoners project.
ABC News article by Louise Willis, featuring Vicky Saunders and the Children of Prisoners project.
3 July 2013:
Study to improve relationships between birth parents, children (external link)ABC News Article regarding the ARC Linkage Grant awarded to ICPS.
1 February 2013:
Abused Need Long-Term Help (external link)Canberra Times article by Megan Doherty, featuring Debbie Noble-Carr and the Identity and Meaning in Vulnerable Young People Project.
17 October 2012:
Taking the Big Stick to Single Parents is Not the Answer (external link)Opinion piece in The Conversation, by Prof Morag McArthur and Erin Barry.
30 October 2020
26 September 2017:
Safeguarding children is a shared duty (PDF, 93KB)
30 April 2017:
Young people advocate for safe and functional residential care (PDF, 339KB)
1 May 2017:
Involving children in decisions 'will help protect them from sexual abuse'
Guardian Australia article featuring Dr Tim Moore and Prof Morag McArthur, discussing the young people's safety in residential care project.
3 September 2012:
More Than Just Me, Supporting Fathers who are Homeless (PDF, 312KB)
Joint media release between ICPS and Hanover Welfare Services.
Find out more about the Supporting Homeless Fathers project.