Overview

Terms of reference for this discussion paper were to develop a synopsis of current activities or programs within Australia and overseas which are aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect and their outcomes; and to identify risk factors including any special individuals or groups which may be at higher risk of child abuse or neglect. The paper was commissioned as part of the development of a prevention strategy for South Australia. Part 1 consists of a review of the current state of prevention programs and their outcomes. The common theme throughout the review is the serious lack of methodologically rigorous evaluations of program effectiveness, and that for the most part, Australia has adopted overseas programs without consideration of the need to tailor programs for specific Australian conditions. Part 2 of the report focuses on child maltreatment risk factors and 'at risk' sub-populations, presenting an overview of models that have been proposed to explain why child maltreatment occurs, classification of risk factors and risk assessment models. An appendix provides brief descriptions of the 145 entries currently stored in the National Child Protection Clearing House Prevention Programs database.