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While there has been considerable theorizing about how social workers think and act, there has been relatively little research in this area. In the study reported in this paper, in-depth interviews and observations of practice were used to explore the process of assessment undertaken by Australian social workers in a hospital specialist service and in a statutory child protection service. Using a semi-longitudinal approach which 'shadowed' 10 families (17 allegedly abused children), highly detailed data were collected from 42 observations of practice and 123 interviews with 12 hospital social workers and 15 child protection workers on how their assessments evolved over the life of these cases. While there were some individual differences between practitioners within each organization, of greater significance were the marked differences between the two groups in the variables to which they attended. Both groups tended to adopt a proceduralized model of practice which narrowed the range of factors considered in assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation and assessment of allegations of child sexual abuse constitute a difficult and contentious area for practitioners involved in this process. When these allegations emerge in the context of divorce, the problems of assessment appear to be compounded. This paper argues that when mothers raise concerns about child sexual abuse during divorce proceedings these are often construed as vindictive or misguided. Such constructions of mothers have significant implications for the protection, or lack of protection of children in these circumstances, The way in which this 'knowledge' about mothers has developed is explored and held no against the results of empirical studies which show that there is little basis for this construction of mothers. Possible explanations for this incongruity are suggested with a view to progressing child protection in this area. As the court cases go on I can see the hopelessness of the whole thing. It's getting stronger in me to want to take the law into my own hands, I wouldn't say it's revenge, it's not ... I mean a mother protects its young. You wouldn't see a lioness letting something attack its young. (A mother expressing her desperation that the Family Court of Australia has ordered her to send her child on visits to her ex-husband who she believes sexually abused their child.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Risk factors were identified from the narratives of prenatal child protection reports. • Most families were reported to be experiencing three or more risk factors. • Prenatal supports must address multiple co-occurring problems. The prevalence of prenatal reporting to child protection is estimated to be 3% of Australian pregnancies. Understanding risk factors associated with prenatal child protection involvement is critical in identifying the needs of families who may benefit from early intervention. This paper reports findings of a case file review examining characteristics of families reported prenatally. Unit-record administrative data were extracted for unborn children reported to child protection in a single Australian jurisdiction during 2014. Intake reports relating to a 20% random sample (n = 131 unborn children) were coded using a tailored coding guide developed for this study. Most families were reported to be experiencing three or more risk factors, including current or previous intimate partner violence (70% of families), parental alcohol and other drug use (63%), parental mental health concerns (58%) or parent criminal activity (34%). Over one-third of parents in the sample had themselves experienced abuse and neglect as children. In families with more than one child, more than 90% of older siblings of unborn children had been the subject of a previous report. Supports must address multiple co-occurring problems, often in the context of personal and familial histories of child abuse and neglect, meaning that risks are intergenerational and enduring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are disproportionately represented in the statutory child protection system across Australia. A strategy gaining traction to address this disproportionate representation is to recruit more Indigenous practitioners into statutory child protection work. However, the experiences of Indigenous people who undertake child protection work have not been explored thoroughly, particularly in an Australian research context. While it has been established in contemporary literature that exposure to trauma is an expected occupational hazard of undertaking statutory child protection work, the experience of racism as a potential source of traumatic stress for practitioners has not been explicitly explored. This paper reports on results from a recent doctoral study which explored the experiences of Indigenous child protection practitioners based in Queensland, Australia. This research relied on the stories of participants, shared through qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews, to answer the primary research question: what are the experiences of Indigenous child protection workers? The findings emerged from a research design that was underpinned by critical theory and decolonisation frameworks, which placed the participants as experts of their own experiences. The experiences of the research participants tell the story of a deficiency within the statutory child protection system to meet the wellbeing needs of Indigenous workers and provide a workplace environment that is culturally safe. Participants described recurrent experiences of racist behaviour displayed by non-Indigenous colleagues and a lack of support that acknowledges the distinctive experience of Indigenous people who undertake child protection work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on various issues affecting the family in Australia. The September 1, 1999 edition of "Family Matters" focuses on the theme of families, welfare and social policy. In a speech at the National Press Club on 29 September 1999, Senator Jocelyn Newman, Minister for Family and Community Services, announced that social policy would be a major reform priority of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard Government. Senator Newman announced the formation of a Reference Group on Welfare Reform to guide the development of a comprehensive Green Paper on welfare reform. Welfare dependency is a key issue for investigation by the Reference Group. The Australian Institute of Family Studies's interest in the issue of welfare reform has been a long one, indeed, the Institute held a Workshop as long ago as 1983 on the subject of "Single Parents: Work or Welfare?" Since its inception 1980 the Institute has built up and shared a wealth of experience and knowledge on issues affecting the well being and stability of families. Research areas have included: the social costs of child and family poverty and marriage breakdown; the living standards of low and middle income families; labour force issues; housing; family income transfers, child support and tax; educational and other disadvantage suffered by children in poor families; and child abuse and neglect. INSET: NEW AIFS DIRECTOR APPOINTED.

This article reports on Australian government measures to strengthen and support families. The new National Families Strategy has committed the Commonwealth Government to working closely with the State and Territory governments, as well as with the voluntary sector, to develop a national framework to support and strengthen family life in Australia. The main emphasis of the new strategy will be on preventing family breakdown by developing effective early interventions. Such interventions include things like relationship education and parenting training, both of which will be extended, as well as various programs aimed at preventing child abuse, domestic violence, youth homelessness and crime. The government says that it will further support and strengthen family life in Australia by reforming the tax and benefits systems, by enhancing access to child care, and by providing more help for rural and regional families. The basic philosophy underlying the National Families Strategy is clearly set out in recent budget paper, Strengthening and Supporting Australian Families. This states that the government believes strong families are crucial to maintaining a cohesive and compassionate society. Families are at the very heart of Australian life.

The article informs that as part of National Child Protection Week last August, the Federal Minister for Community Services, Mr Larry Anthony, launched a key issues paper, "Exploring family violence: the links between child maltreatment and domestic violence," which showed that in many families where either child abuse or domestic violence was identified, both forms of violence are likely to be present. As a society we must strive to learn more about this subject and continue developing effective child-focused responses, Mr Anthony said. This report adds to a growing knowledge base we are developing though initiatives such as the Government's Partnerships Against Domestic Violence Strategy, he added. The report gives us a better insight into the links between family violence and child abuse, and provides important information that can be used to develop further initiatives targeted at prevention and early intervention, he said. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that different types of violence may occur simultaneously in the same family, and that the presence of one form of violence may be a strong predictor of the other.

Presents a roundup of press reports related to child abuse and child protection in Australia. Revelations of an Australian Institute of Criminology research paper on sex offenders; Incidence of reported child abuse and neglect; Set up of an office to help protect the rights of children; Monitoring of teachers who had been the subject of allegations of sexual misconduct; Screening of pedophiles in Tasmania.

The article presents feedback on materials on child protection received by the National Child Protection Clearing House in Australia. Two publications--a newsletter and an issues paper entitled "Spotlight on Child Neglect," by Adam Tomison, researcher at Australian Institute of Family Studies--have been produced and distributed to those on the Clearing House mailing list. Currently responses to the questionnaires are arriving at the Institute, but in fewer numbers than hoped for.