An International Community of Professionals Working to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Worldwide THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT (ISPCAN)

ISPCAN’s Mission: To support individuals and organizations working to protect children from all forms of abuse and neglect worldwide. Our History: ISPCAN was founded in 1977 by Dr. C. Henry Kempe and is still the only multidisciplinary organization bringing together professionals worldwide to work towards the prevention of child abuse, neglect and exploitation globally.

ISPCAN’s Objectives  To increase awareness of the extent, causes and possible solutions for all forms of child abuse.  To improve the quality of current efforts to detect, treat and prevent child abuse.  To facilitate the exchange of best practice standards being developed by ISPCAN members throughout the world.  To design and deliver comprehensive training programs to professionals and concerned volunteers engaged in efforts to treat and prevent child abuse.  To disseminate academic and clinical research to those in positions to enhance practice and improve policy.  To support international efforts to promote and protect the Rights of the Child.

Membership: On-line community of multidisciplinary international members The LINK newsletter and special reports World Perspectives on Child Abuse Listserve Virtual Issues Discussions Country Partner Program Congresses and Conferences: International congresses and regional conferences Developing Country Forums and Training Institutes Global Institute at the San Diego Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment

International Training Project by ISPCAN (ITPI) projects in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe Curricula development (medical, mental health and interdisciplinary) Education, Training and Resources: Consultation and External Resources: Specific country projects (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Georgia, China) Child Maltreatment Data Collection Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 19 Working Group I-CAST survey tools

Our Members ISPCAN’s membership represents every key professional group involved in child protection and shaping the response to child abuse at both the country and international level. These groups include: Child Protective Services; Social Workers; Counselors Physicians; Psychiatrists; Nurses Mental Health Therapists; Psychologists Lawyers; Judges; Law Enforcement; Investigators Government and Community Officials Researchers; Academicians; Sociologists; Educators Non-Governmental Organization Leaders; Child Advocates

Benefits of ISPCAN Membership  Subscription to the prestigious Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, published monthly; includes online access to all articles since  Informative membership newsletter, the LINK, and other special publications.  Interactive members listserv and web-based Virtual Issues Discussions (VID).  Reduced rates at the biennial international congresses and select events worldwide.  Networking opportunities and member information exchange.  Online member directory, website resources.

Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal ISPCAN’s flagship publication, Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, is a monthly peer reviewed journal, providing high-quality, international, multi- disciplinary information on all aspects of child abuse and neglect, including practice implications. One of the most highly cited and influential journals in the field, it is a consistently strong resource, publishing over 120 papers each year.

LINK Newsletter and Special Reports The LINK provides topical reports on specific CAN issues and offers an exchange of information on challenges and best practices around the world, as well as information on ISPCAN programs, activities and upcoming events. Published three times per year, and primarily distributed electronically, the LINK helps members remain connected to ISPCAN and to their international professional colleagues. The LINK is produced in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

World Perspectives on Child Abuse: The International Resource Book A biennial report on the status of child protection efforts worldwide. Based on information from a standardized survey of informed professionals engaged in child abuse prevention and intervention work in their respective countries. Offers a unique view of child safety policies and practices currently in place in dozens of countries around the world.

Listserv and Website The Listserv is perhaps the most interactive benefit of ISPCAN membership and is a valuable tool for members across the globe to discuss CAN-related issues, share resources, network and collaborate. It offers a simple and effective means of communicating directly with fellow members of ISPCAN. ISPCAN’s newly redesigned website also offers more connectivity between members, more resources, and more benefits – check it out at

ISPCAN convenes international congresses every two years, rotating venues around the world to ensure accessibility to the greatest cross-section of individuals active in preventing child maltreatment. Each Congress reflects the issues central to the specific region hosting the event but also provides a multidisciplinary focus in examining various child abuse and neglect treatment and prevention strategies. ISPCAN also convenes regional conferences in the off-congress years, focusing on particular concerns in that region. XIXth ISPCAN International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect, September 2012, Istanbul, Turkey,

ISPCAN Training Program (ITPI) Training is tailored to the needs of the specific country/area and is context specific. Trainings support and promote multi- disciplinary teamwork and create a network of rigorously trained CAN professionals.

Consultation and External Resources Program  ISPCAN provides support to members, partners, government agencies, and other organizations in establishing or improving child protection infrastructure through expert faculty.  We provide consulting services to develop child abuse and neglect (CAN) surveillance systems; assist in development of child protection policy; conduct CAN research; design and develop CAN training programs; and establish monitoring and evaluation programs for CAN services.

 Participant in the working group that wrote General Comment 13 on Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).  I-CAST development and application. With support from UNICEF and the Oak Foundation and in conjunction with the UN Study on Violence against Children, ISPCAN has developed three model questionnaires for collecting data on the extent and depth of child abuse from parents, young adults and children over 11 years of age. These research tools are available at: Examples of Consultation Services Provided

 Medical training on CAN in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Development of “Preventing Child Maltreatment: a Guide to Taking Action and Generating Evidence” (ISPCAN/WHO).  Pre-World Congress on Sexual Exploitation III (Hong Kong, September 2008) Consultation on the link between Intra-familial Child Sexual Abuse and Vulnerability to Sexual Exploitation (ISPCAN/UNICEF).  Global Summit on Child Abuse (Chicago, April 2008). Examples of Consultation Services Provided

Examples of Consultation Services Provided  Child maltreatment data collection working group. Comprehensive data is essential for planning, funding and intervening in CAN in effective ways. This project develops areas of common interest for organizations and individuals who are working with child maltreatment data collection programs and those who are developing such systems.

JOIN ISPCAN  Regular Membership Dues1 year US $150 2 years US $280  Developing Country Membership Dues (per World Bank Reports) 1 year US$55 2 years US$105  Associate Memberships also available

 Website:   E. 16 th Avenue, B390, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA  Telephone:  Fax: INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT (ISPCAN)