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 article reports on a major policy shift in Queensland, Australia, where the government has announced plans to remove children under the age of five from residential care settings following findings from a Child Safety Commission of Inquiry.

This Guardian article reports on a major inquiry into Victoria’s child protection system in Australia, which found that dozens of vulnerable children who later died had previously been assessed as “not at risk” despite repeated reports and warning signs.

This article explores how out-of-home care systems across five countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States) approach cultural care for children, examining the organisational structures, leadership, and practices that support or hinder children’s connections to their culture, family, and community. Drawing on interviews with service providers, it highlights key drivers of effective practice and offers practical tools and insights for strengthening culturally responsive, system-wide approaches to safeguarding children’s identity and wellbeing.

This article describes how the FAMS economic modelling project in Australia shows that greater investment in early intervention and family support services can significantly improve outcomes for children and families while reducing long-term gover

This narrative review draws on 17 Australian public inquiry reports to examine systemic factors in residential care that increase risks of harmful sexual behaviour and child sexual exploitation. It identifies key issues—such as poor placement matching, an underprepared workforce, fragmented reporting systems, and disempowering practices—and calls for a shift from individual-focused responses to broader structural reforms.

This report presents findings from a four-year mixed-methods longitudinal study of the experiences of children, carers, and parents in the Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) system. It examines how and why the emotional, social and cultural wellbeing of children varies over the course of their journey through OOHC and provides insights into how policy and practice can better support them.

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.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with disabilities are overrepresented in child welfare systems, yet little is known about their experiences; this study draws on yarning sessions with 46 kinship carers in Western Australia as part of the I-CaRe WA project. Findings highlight barriers to disability assessments and services, underscoring the urgent need for reforms, improved training, and better support to enhance outcomes for both carers and children.

Unaccompanied children and young people experiencing homelessness are at risk of significant lifelong negative outcomes. Supported accommodation services are a critical response to homelessness; however, these services do not always meet this cohort’s needs. This research project examines the effectiveness of Australia’s supported accommodation services in meeting the needs of unaccompanied children and young people aged 12–24. It proposes principles to guide policy and practice toward a better system.