Expert urges partnerships on child protection

Dr Sheehan was keynote speaker at a breakfast hosted by the Department of Human Services’ Community Care Division to launch Child Protection Week.

About 50 representatives from the Department, agencies working with children, the Children’s Court and Victoria Police attended the launch.

Dr Sheehan is a senior lecturer in the Monash University Department of Social Work.

She is also the Pre-hearing Conference Convenor in the Family Division of the Melbourne Children’s Court.

She has researched the nature of child abuse matters that are presented to the Court and the extent to which children of parents who have mental health issues are featured in these matters.

She has also studied judicial decision-making in children’s matters.

She is currently working on projects that examine the Family Court of Australia’s management of child abuse matters and the relationship between adult mental health services and the child protection service.

Dr Sheehan discussed sources of tension in the legal and welfare responses to child protection issues.

She encouraged a reconstruction of the system as a shared and inter-professional responsibility.

‘The legal system is one part of this approach.

‘Child protection professionals need to be viewed as another part,’ Dr Sheehan said.

‘A great emphasis needs to be placed on the prevention of child abuse and support for interventions that identify and monitor vulnerable children.

‘The legal and welfare systems must make child welfare concerns the focus of attention,’ Dr Sheehan said.

Child Protection Week is coordinated by the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN).