National framework for protecting Australia's children: Perspectives on progress and challenges
April 2011 marked the second anniversary of the announcement of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009–2020 (“the National Framework”) by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG, 2009a). The aim of the National Framework is to make a substantial and sustained reduction in child abuse and neglect; such a goal is to be achieved through a series of three-year action plans to 2020.
Safe and supportive families and communities for children A synopsis and critique of Australian research
This paper reviews the research on building safe and supportive families and communities for children in Australia. Based on assessments of 22 research and evaluation reports, it examines the evidence base in the areas of:  community attitudes and awareness of child safety;  parenting and family support; and  child-friendly communities. The paper synthesises the findings and discusses the implications for future research. The reports were identified in the research audit, Protecting Australia’s Children Research Audit, 1995–2010.
National Standards for Out of Home Care
The National Standards for Out of Home Care is one of the early initiatives implemented under the 'National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020'. The National Standards address the inconsistencies in state and territory regulations in out of home care and ensure positive care outcomes for children and young people. The article traces the development of the National Standards and the describes the principles on which they are based.