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Media Release

April 5 2006

Public health approach offers new hope for abused kids

Marking UN World Health Day (7 April 2006)

There are a quarter of a million child protection notifications in Australia each year -- double the amount that were being issued five years ago.

Of these reports, only one in five is “substantiated” as a likely case of child abuse or neglect.

Have we created systems that are making the problem worse?

Professor Dorothy Scott, Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection at UniSA, thinks so.

"Most current child protection systems in Australia are overwhelmed, unsustainable and potentially harmful to children and their families,” Prof Scott says.

“There is growing momentum to turn the tide and implement a public health model of child protection.

“In South Australia, the Keeping Them Safe program provides an excellent policy framework but the challenge will be to sustain the innovative initiatives already underway.”

Prof Scott argues that child protection in Australia is in need of widespread reforms, and that we need to adopt a whole-of-government approach and draw on the skills of professionals such as child health nurses and school counsellors to work with at-risk families.

But what exactly is a public health model, and why might it be more effective?

Visiting child protection expert, Professor Brigid Daniel, from the University of Dundee, Scotland – may have the answer.

“The UK has recently adopted the public health model, and the emphasis is now based on the provision of family support. It is intended to stimulate long-term and sustained improvement in children’s health and wellbeing through preventative measures and early intervention,” Prof Daniel says.

Prof Scott says that this is what Australia needs.

“The ever-widening definition of child abuse based on possible psychological harm has resulted in an epidemic of child protection notifications,” she says.

“Basically the UK has a more effective model because it doesn’t overload the system with cases that don’t require statutory intervention.

“Over-reporting floods the system so that serious cases are sometimes hard to identify, while other families that need help but not legal intervention also miss out. Child protection investigations can alienate and frighten families, making them more reluctant to seek help.”

On Thursday 6 April, this controversial issue will be further explored at a Unifem Informs seminar – Is Child Protection a public health issue? – views from Australia and the UK, in conjunction with UniSA’s Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre.

Unifem is the United Nations Development Fund for women and the Hawke Centre presents programs that focus on building more effective societies. Both organisations will present this Seminar as part of a commitment to raise awareness of issues affecting the wellbeing of women and children.

Prof Dorothy Scott is the Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia.

Prof Brigid Daniel is Professor of Child Care and Protection in the Department of Social Work at the University of Dundee, Scotland.

UNIFEM Informs seminar
Is Child Protection a public health issue? – views from Australia and the UK
Date: Thursday 6 April, 5.30pm
Venue: Mercury Cinema, 13 Morphett Street, Adelaide
Cost: $5 at the door
 

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