In order to place child sexual abuse in the broader conceptual framework of unwanted sexual experiences in childhood, this study explores a continuum of intrusive behaviours as reported in questionnaire data gathered from 345 first and second year Australian university students. The data provide evidence which is supportive of other findings on the nature and extent of child sexual abuse for females and males, including age of occurrence, identity of perpetrators, most commonly occurring behaviours, and gender differences in disclosure and prevalence.

This article presents the work of the Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program and Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment Program, auspiced by the Children's Protection Society. The focus is upon their experiences in working with families in which sibling incest has occurred. It outlines the philosophy, principles and model of the program, gives an overview of the demographic data and client profiles, and finally reflects on practice observations relating to issues which have emerged in their work.

The following review of literature arose from Project Partnership, an initiative of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, which was set up to identify systemic and organisational changes which could improve continuity and quality of care for children with long-term and complex health care needs. This article examines research findings and other literature relevant to the experience of families whose children have complex health care needs; the experience of hospital based, health care professionals who care for this group of children; and the complexities of undertaking collaborative research in a large health bureaucracy.

This article is based on a study about young mothers' experiences of parenting and their suggestions for child protection and family support strategies. This paper disputes the notion that young mothers are deficient parents, and instead highlights the social stressors faced by many young families. It is argued that, rather than focussing on the individual family or young mother, family work could be better oriented toward resourcing and supporting adolescent families to care for their members.

Criticism of child protection practice in Victoria has emerged not only from the political Left, but also from conservative groups such as the Australian Family Association. The AFA does not deny the existence of child abuse, but argues that it can be primarily attributed to social changes such as the breakdown of the traditional nuclear family. The AFA believes that the strengthening and support of the traditional family is the best means of protecting children from harm. Critics of the AFA argue, however, that the implementation of the AFA's agenda would place the preservation of families ahead of the right of children to be protected from abuse or harm.

In recent years there has been widespread concern across the English-speaking world about repeated incidents in which paedophiles have obtained positions of responsibility in relation to the care of vulnerable children, such as those living in residential care. In the United Kingdom, a series of well-publicised incidents over several years culminated in the Beck case. Frank Beck was a paedophile who was appointed to the position of head of a children's home. Following the discovery of his abusive activities with children in one workplace, he successfully moved to a similar position of responsibility. In response to this series of scandals an inquiry was set up in to the Selection, Development and Management of Staff in Children's Homes (the Warner Inquiry). This inquiry produced a substantial report on ways in which selection and management practices should be improved. There have, however, been continuing concerns that international paedophile rings continue to pose a significant risk to children and young people in the care system across the world.

Working with the media is not without risk. Using a piece submitted to the print media, and what happened to it, as a case study, this article suggests that we have to continue to use the media to set the public policy agenda whilst accepting that sometimes our work will be modified.