The ISPCAN Melbourne 2026 Congress is the flagship international gathering of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), taking place 24–26 August 2026, with related events including pre-congress working grou

This study analyzed data from residential care settings in Victoria, Australia, to examine how missing episodes intersect with worker-identified concerns about sexual and criminal exploitation among children and young people. Findings suggest that going missing may signal ongoing, overlapping patterns of exploitation-related harm—rather than isolated vulnerability—highlighting the need to view these incidents as part of sustained exploitation trajectories.

This article examines the long-term impacts of Australia’s immigration detention policies on children, drawing on personal stories and research to show how prolonged detention has caused significant psychological harm, disrupted development, and l

This article examines how child protection systems continue to reflect colonial power by disproportionately intervening in Indigenous families and undermining cultural practices and kinship systems. It highlights growing Indigenous-led movements to reclaim authority over child welfare, emphasizing self-determination and the rebuilding of care systems grounded in Indigenous laws, values, and relationships.

This article explores the parenting support needs of young mothers in Aotearoa New Zealand who grew up in out-of-home care, highlighting how their childhood experiences shape their access to and perceptions of support. It finds that these mothers face significant barriers and fears in engaging with services, underscoring the need for specialized, independent parenting support as part of after-care.

The New Zealand National Care Standards (NCS) Regulations came into effect in 2019, and set out the minimum standard of care that must be provided when the state has custody of a child. This is Oranga Tamariki's fifth report on compliance with the NCS Regulations. It finds that children and youth are still not receiving the minimum standard of care required by the NCS Regulations.

This paper reflects on an author’s return to former orphanage sites in Australia—now repurposed as commercial properties—where personal memories of abuse and neglect resurface. It explores how survivor testimony and memory activism can challenge the erasure of these histories, highlighting tensions between commercial interests and efforts to memorialize sites of past harm.

This study surveys residential care practitioners in Queensland, Australia to examine their training, knowledge, and perceptions related to child sexual exploitation (CSE) among young people in residential care. It finds significant gaps in both pre-service and in-service training and highlights practitioners’ strong demand for more education to improve identification and responses to CSE.

This report explores relational practice in out-of-home care in New South Wales, Australia, highlighting the importance of strong, trusting relationships between children, families, carers, and practitioners for children’s healing and well-being. It finds that although practitioners value relational work, system pressures—such as administrative requirements and compliance demands—often limit their ability to prioritize meaningful human connections.

This study amplifies the voices of seven care leavers in Australia, revealing how inconsistent and conditional out-of-home care (OOHC) often undermines stability, belonging, and participation. Findings highlight six key themes—ranging from the “luck of the draw” in care quality to feeling powerless and unseen—underscoring the need for relational continuity, child-centred approaches, and culturally responsive, participatory care models.