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Australia’s child abuse rates fall but foster care rates rise: Report

Statistics show that the total number of Tasmanian children in state care has risen by 60% in six years. This is the second highest number of children per 1,000 in child protection in the Australia. This means more children are being removed from their families for issues such as substance abuse, mental health and family violence.

20 Jan 2011

Foster care standards formulated

Now all foster children in Australia for the first time will receive individual plans detailing the support they need after leaving care. This comes under the new national scheme wherein uniform standards in meeting each child’s requirements at the time of entering foster care will be ensured. At present child protection systems are different for each of the states and territories. This scheme will unite them all.

16 Dec 2010

New report reveals how African countries are performing in budgeting for their children

A new report launched today by The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) measures African government’s investment in children and confirms that a country’s commitment to child rights and wellbeing is not dependent on their economic status, but rather on political will and spending priorities.

6 Dec 2010

Queensland pool safety laws tighten

The Queensland Government has tightened pool safety laws and launched a pool safety education campaign. From now on all pool fences will have to comply with new safety requirements within five years. Safety inspections will be required if a property is sold or rented before then. This is the second phase of tough new pool laws. The laws also give safety inspectors greater powers of entry to undertake checks.

1 Dec 2010

Living in deprived area increases risk of violence more sharply for girls than boys: Study

Living in a deprived area increases the risk of violence more sharply for girls than boys, according to a Cardiff University study of former industrial areas.

19 Nov 2010

Women abused as kids at increased risk of developing diabetes: Study

The latest research shows that women who were victims of childhood abuse may be at increased risk of developing diabetes in adulthood. For the study the scientist team looked at 67,853 U.S. nurses in the Nurses Health Study II and found that 54 percent reported physical abuse and 34 percent reported sexual abuse before age 18. Moderate and severe physical and sexual abuse was associated with a 26 percent to 69 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

11 Nov 2010

Child abuse prevention programs promised by the Coalition

The Coalition has promised an expenditure of $50.5 million to take on child abuse in Victoria, if it wins next month's election. The claims made say that the aim would be to try for early intervention, aimed at reducing the rates of abuse.

26 Oct 2010

TV alcohol advertising ‘watershed’ called for in the UK

Protestors in Britain have called for a ‘watershed’ for alcohol advertising on TV amid claims that millions of children watched the ads during live World Cup games. Alcohol Concern UK says that children as young as four watched alcohol ads from brands such as Stella Artois, Magners, Fosters, Carling and WKD during the World Cup.

18 Oct 2010

Children recognise signs of neglect in peers: Survey

Researchers for Action for Children in a survey of over 3,000 eight to 12 year-olds found that 44% of children under 12 have seen other children who were dirty and smelled. Nearly two-thirds of children have seen suspected signs of neglect among their peers in classrooms, playgrounds, neighborhoods and activity clubs.

13 Oct 2010

Research finds differences between immigrant and native families on child maltreatment

Research funded by the American Humane Association has identified significant differences between immigrant families and native families regarding risk factors for child maltreatment.

21 Sep 2010

Al Shabaab demands World Vision to close operations in Somalia

World Vision Somalia received a demand today from Al Shabaab to close operations in Somalia. World Vision guards were disarmed and their keys were taken. Nothing was removed from the offices although Al Shabaab representatives occupied the offices.

10 Aug 2010

HSA urges Vancouver General Hospital to maintain outpatient Domestic Violence Program

Less than a week after a sudden announcement to emergency room staff, Vancouver General Hospital has already begun dismantling a much-needed Domestic Violence Program that has been serving the community for 18 years.

10 Aug 2010

U.N. says nearly 14M Pakistanis affected by floods

On Monday the U.N. said that 13.8 million people have been affected by the floods in Pakistan as the death toll has now reached 1,600, Agence France-Presse reports.

9 Aug 2010

Capitol Hill hearing examines health, social consequences of child marriage

VOA News covered a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, which addressed child marriage in the developing world and its impact on girls and communities (Presto, 7/15).

17 Jul 2010

Study finds maltreatment during childhood associated with mental health disorders in young adulthood

Abuse and neglect during childhood appear to be associated with increased rates of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders among young adults, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Jul 2010

Research review calls for new approaches to guard against child abuse

A new international review of research into child welfare services shows that radical changes are needed to improve assessments and support for families where there are concerns about parental abuse.

21 Jun 2010

Guardian accreditation confirms that quality out-of-home care costs

Barnardos Australia today becomes the first child welfare agency to be re-accredited under NSW standards as an agency designated to arrange out-of-home care for children and young people. Barnardo's is also the first agency to pilot the new accreditation system, administered by the Children's Guardian, which groups 22 child focused standards into four quality areas.

20 Apr 2010

Handheld SD-OCT device helps examine vitreoretinal interface in infants with SBS

Ophthalmologists examining infants for possible Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) found that a handheld Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) device provided high-resolution images of the retina and the vitreoretinal interface in infants with SBS, reports a study in the current issue of Retina, The Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases.

17 Apr 2010

Meditation to replace traumatic court visits for abuse kids

The Australian Government is discussing the introduction of meditation as a means to reduce psychological trauma to children who are abused or have to sit through court sessions. The trauma that a child at risk of abuse or other legal conflicts undergoes has been long debated and often accepted as a bitter truth.

1 Apr 2010

Opinions on rebuilding Haiti: Role of U.S., good governance efforts, orphans, poverty

In McClatchy opinion piece, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) discusses her recent trip to Haiti and outlines the U.S. role in the country's rebuilding. "Congress is committed to helping Haiti recover from this tragedy. Congress has not only taken action to express condolences and solidarity with the Haitian people, but also to incentivize charitable giving for Haiti," Pelosi writes.

6 Mar 2010