Media release

From: Flinders University

Child abuse and neglect causes lasting harm to children and families but Australian government policies relying primarily on removal of children as a solution are failing to address underlying factors, according to ongoing health research.

A study of international child abuse policies and guidelines, published today in Wiley, outlines the adversities families experience when encountering services which implicitly blame and label families impacted by abuse, while ignoring factors such as poverty, domestic violence, social isolation and intergenerational trauma.

The authors found policies should instead acknowledge child abuse as arising from the complex interplay of health, social and economic factors to achieve improved safety and wellbeing outcomes.

Although circumstances are no excuse for child abuse and neglect, addressing the broader factors contributing to abuse would help to prevent incidents, as well as reduce the need for costly child removals and criminal proceedings.

Lead author Dr Lauren Lines in Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute says the review found policies directly frame the way communities and health care professionals understand and respond to abuse and blaming and shaming families is causing counter-productive outcomes.

‘We need effective early intervention and prevention for the whole population to enhance capacity of families and communities to provide safe environments where children thrive.

‘At present, families who experience adversities that impact upon parenting encounter social stigma and blame. When families perceive stigma and blame, they are unlikely to reach out for support,’ says Dr Lines.

‘One approach that minimises stigmatising language is ‘safeguarding’ used in the UK and Ireland. This safeguarding approach may also be transferable to the Australian context as a shared language for professionals and organisations providing services to children and families.’

Safeguarding refers to promoting the health and wellbeing of all children and protecting children from abuse is just one aspect of safeguarding.

The review also determined many policies use labelling and stigmatising language that could further marginalise disadvantaged communities, including First Nations people in Australia.

‘Given the increasing prevalence of child abuse and neglect in all countries, including Australia, a safeguarding approach is one possible way to reframe current understandings of child abuse and neglect as stemming from individual choices or deficiencies, to one that recognises the complex interplay of health, social, economic and structural factors.’

‘However, further consideration is needed about how safeguarding could be enacted in culturally safe ways for First Nations and other marginalised communities and what tangible impact safeguarding may have for Australian children.’