Research short summary

Issue 12 of the Institute of Child Protection Studies Research to Practice Series

Authors: Tim Moore, Prof. Morag McArthur, Steven Roche, Jessica Heerde, Erin Barry

The ICPS Research to Practice Series links the findings of research undertaken by the ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies, to the development of policy and practice in the area of child, youth and family welfare. Issue 12: Children’s views about safety in institutions explores children and young people’s views about safety in institutions, what they believe makes an institution safe for children and young people, and what advice they would give to adults about dealing with their safety needs. It builds on Issue 11, which examined children and young people’s conceptualisations of interpersonal safety, and what gives rise to these perceptions.

This issue is based on the findings of the first part of a study conducted by ICPS, commissioned by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which examined children’s experiences and perceptions of safety in institutions. This component of the study included focus groups with 121 children and young people aged 4-18 in the ACT, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and included three focus groups with young carers, students at an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school, and children and young people in out-of-home care.

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