Webinar – Defining child maltreatment for research and surveillance

Abstract

Join us for a webinar where we delve into the complexities of the topic of child maltreatment, a pressing public health issue with lifelong consequences. Based on a groundbreaking European Delphi study, published in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe, this webinar will explore efforts to achieve a unified definition of child maltreatment to enhance measurement and surveillance across Europe.

The study involved a multidisciplinary expert panel of 70 professionals from 34 countries, who engaged in three rounds of surveys to reach consensus on 26 out of 31 key statements. The result is a comprehensive definition of child maltreatment as a sub-type of violence against children, encompassing neglect and physical, sexual and psychological maltreatment that causes harm or has the potential to cause harm by individuals who are in a position of power over the child. Notably, the study addresses the crucial aspects of neglect and psychological maltreatment, offering clarity on their sub-types and characteristics.

The webinar will cover:

• 🎯 The study methodology and the use of a Delphi process to reach international consensus
• 🎯 Key findings, including the definition of child maltreatment and its sub-types
• 🎯 The importance of this unified definition for research, surveillance, and intervention efforts across Europe

This webinar is ideal for professionals in child welfare, public health, policy-making, and research who are committed to improving child protection systems and promoting data-driven interventions.

Biography

Dr Laura Cowley is a Research Officer and Data Scientist at Swansea University. Laura is currently working on several projects related to child maltreatment and social care. The first is a three year Health and Care Research Wales-funded Social Care Fellowship, which will use administrative data to create predictive tools to assist practitioners in identifying which children in Wales require early intervention and support. The second is the ESRC-funded COMFT project investigating outcomes for children of mothers who are in prison, and the third is the Horizon Europe-funded SERENA project examining long-term outcomes and pathways for maltreated children in Europe using mixed methods.