r--. The Official Newsletter of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) 25 W. 560 Geneva Road, Suite L2C, Carol Stream, IL 60188 U.S.A. Volume 11, Number 3 Northern Fall/ Southern Spring 2002 FOCUS TOPIC: International Congress Delegates from 75 Nations Attend the National Partners 14th International Congress Meet in Denver he ISPCAN National Partners met at ith a deep respect for past accomplishments and,an eye toward the 14th International Congress, held the challenges ahead, more than 900 child abuse prevention T in Denver, Colorado, in early July, to professionals gathered in Denver, Colorado, in July to exchange ideas and discuss issues of w common concern In 1999, lSPCAN launched participate in the 14th International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect . the National Partner Program, establishing Co~sponsored by ISPCAN, the Kempe Children's Foundation, and the Kempe affiliations with national child abuse and Children's Center, the event offered participants opportunities .to share their neglect prevention organizations around the own knowledge, to learn from others and to build stronger relationships with world to further the common mission of colleagues from around the wotld. ISPCAN and its; 14 organ izations have joined this program, Under the theme "Charting Our Progress Toward Protection of Children • WorldWide," the four-day meeting began with a pre-Congress forum for repre­ Getting to know you sentatives from developing countries. Topics covered during this forum At the beginning of the meeting, included the unique challenges facing professionals working with reduced representatives from each organization were , resources, effective intervention and policy strategies for addressing child introduced and four new National Partners abuse in the contex': of trauma and war, and strategies for supporting home­ were officially welcomed: less streefchildren, • ANPPCAN, Ethiopia This meeting provided an opportunity for the 53 scholars fr~m developing • ANPPCAN, Uganda countries sponsored by lSPCAN attending the Congress to meet each other • DASPCAN, Denmark and discuss their common concerns, The Congress itself also provided numer~ • GESPCAN, Germany ous opportunities for these individuals to establish important linkages with Several other membership applications ISPCAN leaders, faculty and other colleagues from their regions. are currently pending, Those organizations that are not yet National Partner criteria At the Congress, [SPCAN celebrated its 25th anniversary and commemo­ (e,g., registered national. multidisciplinary rated the 40th anniversary of the publication of "The Battered Child • membership organizations with a focus on Syndrome," the landmark article written by Dr. C. Henry Kempe that brought child maltreatment; active for at least five the problems of abuse and neglect to public attention worldwide. The years; and with at least 50 members) are in Congress also marke,d the 30th anniversary of the Kempe Children's Center, close contact with lSPCAN as they advance founded by Dr, Kempe, The si'gnificance of this history was reflected in a m toward ISPCAN partnership. oving tribute to Dr Kempe and ISPCAN 's leadership during the Congress's opening session provided by Congress Chairperson Dr Richard Krugman, In Current benefits addition, ISPCAN released An International Movement to End Child Abuse The Story Participants expressed genera l satisfac­ of ISPCAN edited by former ISPCAN Councilor and Secretary Anne Cohn tion with the current benefits National Partners receive, including copies of publica­ Donnelly. This book includes the perspectives and memories of dozens of • ISPCAN's leaders and members. tions such The LINK, Membership Directory, ·• Congress/Conference notices, and Annua l Throughout the next three days, the Congress program included the • • Reports; access to ISPCAN 's listserv and ISPCAN master class, plenary sessions, mini-plenary sessions, symposia, • • links to the lSPCAN web site; access to the research presentations, poster sessions, and workshops. The opening session • • ISPCAN Expert Faculty for use in national featured the Kempe Lecture and presentation of the Kempe Award to • • . and regional educational and training Dr. David Gough Other highlights included: • • events; and discounts on ISPCAN products A comprehensive review of what we have learned in the field of child abuse • • and services. ISPCAN also supports the and neglect during the past 30 years provided in a series of presentations by National Partners by announcing their con­ former ISPCAN Presidents Kim Oates (Australia) and Margaret Lynch (UK), ferences and other upcoming events in The former [SPCAN Councilors, Jacquie Roberts, Scotland, and current Child Abuse LINK through a special "National Partners and Neglect Editor lohn Leventhal (USA) News" section and our web page links. Drs. T Jacob John (India) and Vincent Fulginiti (USA) presented 10 princi- (continued on page 91 (continued on page 121 page 2 PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENTS ISPCAN is positioned to reach WHO Issues New Report an even greater number of The World Health Organization (WHO) released its World Report on Violence and Health in communities, sectors, children October, giving specific recognition to the work being done to prevent child abuse Dear Colleagues, Chers Collegues, Queridos Colegas, worldwide. It also highlights the need for It was a pleasure to meet so many of you in Denver at guidelines for communities and profession­ ISPCAN's 14th International Congress. Mysincere apprecia­ als to insure that all ch ildren suffering various tion goes to the Denver Organizing Committee, and all those forms of violence and abuse receive the best who worked on this event. r particularly would like to thank Dr. possible professional response.ISPCAN and Richard Krugman and Ms Carrie Nolan for their great efforts. WHO representatives are working very hard While there were sorne challenges, the Congress was a great opportunity to review our to complete these gUidelines and hope to history and our achievements and to contemplate all that still lies ahead. have a draft available for discussion at the From C Henry Kempe and his direct successors, we have inherited considerable World Health Assembly in May 2003. knowledge and skills in combating child abuse and neglect We now face a great Copies of the World Report on Violence chaHenge in building on this strong base. Yet we have several advantages over those and Health can be found at www5.who.intlviolence_iniury_prevention/main.cfm early pioneers: developing communities have a larger voice and a greater opportunity through technology and other means to be full partners with those from developed communities in planning a more effective response to child maltreatrnent; the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified by virtually all nations; and many of the major international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, World Vision Releases now recognize violence, including ch ild abuse, as a priority issue (please see the adjoining articleregarding.a new WHO report). Report on ChDd Abuse ISPCAN's mission is "to support individuals and organizations working to protect In 1999, representatives from World children from abuse and neglect worldwide." The Executive Council has adopted a Vision, a major religiOUS organization working broad definition including all forms of abuse, whether a caregiver, an institution, a to improve conditions in developing coun­ state or a society maltreats a child. The Council has aIso decided to place greater tries, sought assistance from ISPCAN and emphasis on primary or universal prevention to give all children an opportunity to other child abuse experts to develop a develop to their maximum potential by being nurtured and safe. Of course, secondary research project to better document both the or targeted prevention for those children at risk or who have been victimized remains incidence and public response to these con­ ditions within the developing world. a major concern. To help with this effort, World Vision lSPCAN must rely on its resources and the availability of partners to address these awarded small planning grants to both ISP­ issues. Our greatest resource is the professional expertise we embody in our member­ CAN and the Chapin Hall Center for Children ship, evidenced in our expert faculty. This expertise places us in an excellent position at the University of Chicago, USA Under to reach an even greater number of communities and sectors. Our National Partners, these agreements, the Chapin Hall team through their organizations, their language and cu ltural resources, are good examples focused on gathering published information of ISPCAN's potential to extend its professional reach. Other examples include and interviewing loca l professionals rega rd­ ISPCAN's collaboration with WHO on the "Integrated Multisectoral Approach to Child ing current research and child abuse-related Abuse Prevention" (informally known as "Guidelines for Guidelines"); our international policies worldwide. training program now serving countries in Asia, Africa, South America and Eastern The team also worked with World Vision staff to develop a research framework that Europe; and our participation at international meetings addressing children's issues, would provide more specific information on such as the CRC child welfare and abuse prevention policies As you will read in the interview with me appearing in this issue, one of my main in six countries