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Family Law, the Medical Model and Child Protection

NCJ Number
202778
Author(s)
Robyn Layton
Date Published
May 2003
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper provides an overview of the key findings of the Australian report entitled, "Our Best Investment: A State Plan to Protect and Advance the Interests of Children," along with some of the report's recommendations for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.
Abstract
The report is based on over 200 written submissions from individuals, community groups, and agencies and government departments; more than 80 consultations were held with community-based organizations, government and nongovernment agencies, and international and Australian experts and members of the public. Key issues addressed in relation to child sexual abuse are sexual abuse in the context of other forms of child abuse, procedures for identifying sexual abuse, offender characteristics, and data on child abuse cases. A section on early intervention and prevention for child sexual abuse focuses on community education and information, the development of parenting skills and practical supports, personal-safety and protective-behavior programs, the training of professionals in identification, screening and monitoring, treatment and therapy services for victims, and treatment and therapeutic counseling for offenders. The discussion of offender treatment programs is further broken down into prison-based programs and community-based treatment through court diversion.