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THE LINK

Secondary Trauma and Caring Professionals: Understanding its Impact and Taking Steps to Protect Yourself

O f f i c i a l N e w s l e t t e r

o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l

S o c i e t y f o r P r e v e n t i o n

o f C h i l d A b u s e a n d

N e g l e c t ( I S P C A N )

IntroductionCaring professionals work daily with children and families who have been traumatized. They listen to their stories and feel their hurt. Empathy is often the most important tool they bring to helping these children and families. Unfortunately, the more empathic they are, the greater their risk for internalizing the trauma of their clients. The result of this engagement is secondary traumatic stress. For an example of secondary traumatic stress, please see “Jill’s Story” on page 5.

What is secondary traumatic stress? How is it the same and/or different from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?According to Dr. Charles Figley, author of Compassion Fatigue, Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder, secondary traumatic stress is “the natural consequent behaviors resulting from knowledge about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other. It is the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person” (Figley, 1995). Another noted traumatologist, Dr. Laurie Pearlman, refers to it as “vicarious trauma” or the “cumulative transformative effect on the helper of working with survivors of traumatic life events” (Pearlman and Saakvitne,1996).

Until recently, when we spoke about persons being traumatized, we were speaking only of those people who were directly exposed to the trauma, such as war veterans and victims of domestic violence. We referred to their condition as post-traumatic stress disorder. In the last 15 years, we have come to recognize that people who work with, listen to and help children and adults who have been traumatized are at risk for internalizing their trauma. This condition is called secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma.

“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.” (Rachel Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom)

According to Figley, the only difference between post-traumatic stress disorder and secondary trauma is that with secondary trauma you are “a step away” from the trauma. The symptoms of primary or secondary trauma can be exactly the same.

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David Conrad, LCSW

Secondary Trauma and Caring Professionals: Understandingits Impact and Taking Steps to Protect Yourself P.1

Message from the Leadership P.2

General Comment No. 13 for Article 19 of the CRC and Plans for its Proposed Pmplementation P.6

ISPCAN Executive Council: Call for Nominations P.8

this issuevol. 20; no. 2

northern summer/southern winter 2011

Message from the Leadership2010 - 2012 ISPCANExecutive CouncilPresidentIrene Intebi, MDFamilias del Nuevo Siglo, Argentina

President ElectJenny Gray, Bsc, DipSW, Dip Family Therapy, Dip Higher Education and Training Department for Education, United Kingdom

Advisor to the President Richard Roylance, BMedSc, MBBS, FRACP Logan Hospital, Australia

SecretaryGaby Taub, MSWChildren’s Ombudsman, France

TreasurerKim Oates, MD, DSc, FRACP University of Sydney, Australia

COUNCILORSRandell Alexander, MD, PhD University of Florida, USA

Maha Almuneef, MD, FAAP National Family Safety Program, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Sue Bennett, MB, ChB, FRCP University of Ottawa, Canada

Myriam Caranzano-Maitre, MD, ASPI Fondazione della Svizzera Italiana, Switzerland

Irene Cheah, MD, FRCPCh Peadiatric Institute, Malaysia

Jon R. Conte, MSW, PhD University of Washington, USA

Isabel Cuadros AFECTO, Colombia

Howard Dubowitz, MD, MS, FAAP University of Maryland, USA

Martin A. Finkel, DO, FAAP University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, USA

Sue Foley, B.Soc.Stud, M.A., M.S.W., M.Ed The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Australia

Bernard Gerbaka, MD Pediatric Department, Hotel-Dieu University Hospital, Lebanon

Fuyong Jiao, MD Xi’an Philanthropic Child Abuse Prevention and Aid Center, China

Victoria Lidchi, BSc, MSc, MPhil, DClin-Psych, IntMasters Centro de Estudos Integrados, Brazil

Tufail Muhammad, MD, MCPS (Paeds), DCH, DC.Path Pakistan Pediatric Association, Pakistan

Desmond Runyan, MD, DrPH, FAAP Kempe Center, University of Colorado, USA

Julie Todd, BSocSc, LLB PMB Child & Family Welfare, South Africa

Adam Tomison, BSc(Hons), PhD Australia Institute of Criminology, Australia

Joan van Niekerk, MMedSC Childline, South Africa

Legal Advisor/Parliamentarian Henry Plum, JD

Dear ISPCAN Members:ISPCAN’s inaugural round-table, “Child Sexual Abuse: A Review of Practical Interventions from an International Perspective”, was held 5 – 6 May at the ISPCAN Secretariat in Colorado. This very successful round-table was made possible by funding from the Oak Foundation and was attended by 37 professionals from 17 countries; participants included medical professionals, psychologists, social workers, professors, lawyers, judges and NGO leaders. The round-table began with presentations by several primary speakers, which were simultaneously streamed onto ISPCAN’s website. A Virtual Issues Discussion (VID) occurred concurrently with the presentations and members were able to ask questions of the presenters in real time. Thirteen attendees stayed for another day at the end of the round-table to begin drafting a working paper titled “Options for Responding to Child Sexual Abuse.” We are nearing completion of the first draft of this working paper; this project is being led by Donald Bross, Sue Foley, Irene Intebi, Richard Roylance and Viola Vaughn-Eden. After the working paper is completed and thoroughly reviewed, we will be translating it into five languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) and posting it on our website. We would again like to thank everyone, and especially our colleagues who are drafting the working paper, who gave of their time and funds to attend this round-table and make it a success.There will be seven (7) vacancies of the Executive Council of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) that will occur in 2012. We encourage you to become a nominee or to nominate a qualified colleague. More details on the call for nominations can be found at the end of this newsletter or on our website at http://www.ispcan.org/?page=EC_Nomination.We have two regional conferences that are coming up soon; on-line registration for both of these conferences is still open. The 12th ISPCAN European Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, whose conference theme is “Challenging Social Responsibilities for Child Abuse and Neglect”, will be held from 17 – 21 September 2011 in Tampere, Finland. The 9th ISPCAN Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, whose conference theme is “Child Abuse and Neglect in Asian Countries: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be held 6 – 9 October 2011 in New Delhi, India. You can find further details on both of these regional conferences at http://www.ispcan.org/events/event_list.asp. We hope to see you at one or both of these 2011 regional conferences!If you are at the Asia Pacific Regional Conference, please plan to attend our Membership Meeting during the lunch break on Saturday, October 8 or our Country Partner Meeting during the lunch break on Friday, October 7.With Kindest Regards,

Irene Intebi, MD President

Sherrie Bowen Executive Director

Sherrie Bowen (left) and Irene Intebi

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• African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), Ethiopia

• African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), Kenya

• African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), Nigeria

• African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), Uganda

• Against Child Abuse (ACA), Hong Kong• American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC),

United States of America• Asian Regional Network, Asia• ΑsociaciónContraElMaltratoInfantil(AFECTO),Colombia• AsociacionArgentinadePrevencióndelMaltratoInfanto-Juvenil

(ASAPMI), Argentina• Association Française d’Information et de Recherche sur l’Enfance

Maltraité (AFIREM), France• British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse

and Neglect (BASPCAN), United Kingdom• Cameroon Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(CASPCAN), Cameroon• Danish Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(DASPCAN), Denmark

• Enfants Solidaires d’Afrique et du Monde (ESAM), Benin• German Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(GESPCAN), Germany• INGO “Ponimanie” (“Understanding”), Belarus• Italian Network of Services for the Prevention of Child Abuse and

Neglect (CISMAI), Italy• IUS et VITA (I.E.V. - Justice and Life), DR Congo• Japanese Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(JaSPCAN), Japan• Malaysian Association for the Protection of Children (PPKM),

Malaysia• National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(NAPCAN), Australia• National Family Safety Program (NFSP), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia• National Society for Child Abuse and Neglect (NS-CAN), Romania • Nordic Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(NASPCAN), Denmark, Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

• Singapore Children’s Society, Singapore• Turkish Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

(TSPCAN), Turkey

ISPCAN Country Partners

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New ISPCAN MembersISPCAN warmly welcomes new members joining April - September 2011

ArgentinaVirginia BerlinerblauAustraliaRaechel AuldKristine BattyeLaurel DowneyCheryl DrummyDenise HearneRosemary Jenkinson Angela JonesRia MartinsonCarmela TassoneAmanda YoungAzerbaijanAshumova KamalaBrazilBenedito R. dos SantosEduardo Rezende MeloCanadaHoward HurwitzEvelyn WotherspoonChileVeronica BennettVargas TroncosoColombiaAlfredo EuguiCroatiaMiroslav RajterDenmarkMogens ChristoffersenAnette HammershoiAnne-Dorthe HestbaekAnders Kirstein Jensen

FinlandEeva NikkolaLeena NiskanenMarjo PajariPirjo PölkkiTapio SalomäkiHeikki SariolaSanna TohkaGeorgiaKetevan DavitishviliEkaterine TavartkiladzeGreenlandAnnalise RustIndiaAugustine VeliathIrelandAnn DavisItaly Sara PetolettiGloriana RangoneFrancesco VadilongaJordanSamia BisharaKorea, SouthHwa Jung JangKyrgyz RepublicNazgul CholponbaevaMaldivesFathmath SanaNetherlandsWouter KarstDe Baat Mariska

NigeriaPrincess Olufemi-KayodeNorwayGrete DybMia Cathrine MyhreBenedikte SkjoelaasSynne StenslandPolandDorota GajewskaMarta SkierkowskaQatarKhalid Al AnsariAmeer AslamKhalid Alawi MohdRussiaAnna RaskinaSwedenDavid Sandberg HjelmKarin JohanssonAnn-Margreth OlssonSwitzerlandReinhard FichtlTurkeyTolga DagliOrhan DermanUnited Kingdom Gwen AdsheadSteven BambroughJohn DevaneyBianca LeeAlexandra MarinouRichard Wilson

United StatesDeborah AusburnStephen BoosDawn BrownKay CaseyEllen ChioccaWilliam DeLisioMiriam GarciaAlicia HurtadoDe KirkpatrickGabriela KrainerKatrin KrizHugh LaganJohn LeveringtonAlexandra LeviJulia MaganaBarbara MerrillSandeep NarangGwen NguyenMelissa ParkerHeather PfahlJanet SchneidermanCarie SilverChristian TiradoBecky Miller Updike Darlene WongMarcie ZinnMark Zinn

Why are caring professionals at significant risk for developing secondary traumatic stress?There are several reasons why caring professionals are at risk for developing secondary trauma, including:1) Empathy: Most professionals who choose a career as a helping professional do so because they possess an innate desire, or one born of their own experiences, to help others. Empathy, or identifying with and understanding another’s situation and feelings, is one of the most effective tools to use when working with children and families. Unfortunately, when professionals “over-identify” with their clients (which can easily happen), they elevate their risk for internalizing the trauma of their clients.2) Insufficient Recovery Time: Many caring professionals have frequent contact with abused and neglected children. They hear their stories and feel their pain. Unfortunately, their heavy and demanding workload can often deprive them of the “time-off” they need to heal and recover from what they have heard and seen.3) Unresolved Personal Trauma: Many caring professionals have had some personal loss or even traumatic experience in their own life (for example, loss of a family member, death of a close friend, or physical or emotional abuse). The pain of their own experience(s) may be “re-activated” when they hear their client describe a traumatic situation similar to the one they experienced. Unless the person has fully healed from their own trauma, she/he is at increased risk for internalizing the trauma of her/his clients.4) Children are the Most Vulnerable Members of Our Society: All children, and young children in particular, are dependent on adults to meet and assist them with their emotional and physical needs. When adults maltreat children, it is especially painful for a caring professional whose chosen career is to protect children. Their resulting feelings of sadness and helplessness place them at elevated risk for experiencing secondary trauma (Figley, 1995).5) Secondary Trauma is Cumulative: Contrary to popular belief, it is not just the most severe cases of abuse, such as child deaths or serious injuries, that lead to secondary trauma for caring professionals. Secondary trauma is cumulative. Even the small things, like seeing sadness in a child’s eyes when a visit ends, can be traumatizing for the caring professional. Witnessing these events over and over again can have a negative effect on even the most compassionate and resilient staff.How do you know if you are suffering from secondary traumatic stress?One of the most difficult tasks for professionals is to recognize and acknowledge that they are suffering from secondary traumatic stress. Every person reacts and copes differently when exposed to adversity. What one person finds helpful may not be helpful for another person and vice versa. During difficult times, all people must remember to call on the coping mechanisms that work best for them. There are, however, several “individual indicators of distress” which can tell us that we are at increased risk for developing secondary trauma. A key indicator is when you find yourself acting and feeling in ways that don’t feel normal to you. It is normal for all of us to have a range of emotions that include anger, sadness, depression or anxiety. However, when these emotions become more extreme or prolonged than usual, it is a potential indicator of distress (see following table). When you recognize the presence of such indicators, or others (family, colleagues or friends) identify them to you, it is time to step back and evaluate yourself.

Are there specific images or cases that keep coming into your head again and again? Are there situations with children that provoke anxiety in you? Do you find yourself trying to avoid these situations? Are there situations or people that remind you of a particularly distressing case? If you are experiencing some of these indicators on a consistent basis, it is important that you seek help from a colleague or from your supervisor. If the trauma symptoms become severe and last for more than a few days, you should consider seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma work.

Self-Care Strategies for Combating Secondary Trauma StressUnderstanding your own needs and responding appropriately is of paramount importance in combating secondary traumatic stress. For caring professionals it is critically important that time is made to get away from work and to engage in activities that heal and rejuvenate you. Nurturing your own physical, emotional and spiritual well being is essential if you are to survive in such a turbulent work environment.From a physical standpoint, it is necessary to get regular exercise to reduce stress symptoms and encourage relaxation, whether that is walking, running, riding a bike or some other form of physical exercise. It is also important that spiritual and emotional wellbeing is enhanced by spending time with friends and family and engaging in activities that are enjoyable, fulfilling and unrelated to work. Spending time with emotionally healthy children is also restorative.Overall, any person working with maltreated or traumatized children needs to set aside time to rest, emotionally and physically, and to engage in activities that maintain and/or restore a sense of hope.You, as caring professionals, need to remind yourselves that you can’t save the world. In the end, your ability to help children who have suffered depends upon your ability to care for yourself, so that you can be there for your clients when they need you.As Marc Parent says in his book, Turning Stones: My Days and Nights with Children at Risk:

Secondary Trauma Continued from P.1

“Rescuing one child from the harm of one night is glorious success. The evening is an opportunity to touch a life at a critical moment and make it better—not for a lifetime, not even for tomorrow, but for one moment. One moment—not to talk, but to act—not to change the world, but to make it better. It’s all that can be done and not only is that enough—that’s brilliant.”

Indicators of distressEmotional Indicators

Physical Indicators

Personal Indicators

Anger Headaches Self-isolation

Sadness Stomach aches Cynicism

Prolonged grief Back aches Mood swings

Anxiety Exhaustion/fatigue Irritability

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Jill’s StoryJill, a recently hired caseworker, settles into her office chair and prepares to start her day. It’s 7:30 A.M. and she’s feeling tired after responding to an emergency call late the night before. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious and she got home and to bed by midnight.

Shortly after she arrives at work, her supervisor, Laura, approaches her and asks her to come into her office. This is never a good thing, she thinks as she follows Laura. Nervously, she steps into the office as Laura closes the door behind her.

Laura asks Jill to sit down and pulls up a chair directly across from her. “I have some very sad news to share with you”, she says. “I received a call this morning telling me that last night Maria fell asleep with baby Alexandra in her bed.” Jill sits back in her chair and holds her breath. “Tragically, she rolled over on Alexandra sometime during the night and smothered her. Maria called an ambulance when she woke up and the paramedics tried to revive her. Unfortunately, they were not successful.”

Jill stares blankly at Laura as tears begin to run down her cheeks. A few minutes later, she puts her hands over her face and sits back in her chair. She takes a deep breath and with a trembling voice says, “I warned her not to sleep with Alexandra.”

Carefully, Laura responds, “Jill, I am so sorry. I know you were feeling very hopeful about Maria and the progress she was making. I know this is very painful for you.”

Sitting silently in her chair, Jill mulls around in her head, what could I have done to prevent this? Laura tries to reassure her that she had done everything she could and encourages her to go home and to take some time off.

Having previously guided workers through traumatic events, Laura had developed some strategies for assisting staff:

• Provide validation and support.• Close your office door and give them your undivided attention.• Listen attentively and “bear witness” to what she/he has been through.• Determine if the staff member has appropriate support systems outside of work

(for example, friends, family or former co-workers).• Ask co-workers to support their colleague, if it is requested.• If necessary, arrange for time off from work.• Temporarily avoid assigning cases with similar circumstances.• Support staff in their engagement of physical, emotional,

psychological and/or spiritual self-care.• Assess whether the staff person is getting better within 36 hours.

If a staff person believes an underlying personal or prior work-related trauma has been triggered by the event, encourage them to seek assistance from a therapist who has prior experience working with trauma victims.

Three months since Alexandra’s death, Jill is rebounding well. The emotional support from Laura and her co-workers has been immensely helpful. They understand her emotional pain in a way that others who don’t do this work can’t understand. Jill has also been working hard to care for herself, which includes spending time with her friends, playing tennis and attending her yoga classes on a regular basis. Jill is hopeful that this experience has made her more resilient and is better able to accept what she does and does not have control over as it relates to working with her clients. Laura remains hopeful that Jill will stay in child protection for many years to come.

Recommended Reading on Secondary TraumaFigley, C.R. (Ed.) (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumaticstress in those who treat the traumatized. New

York: Brunner/Mazel.

Figley, C.R. (Ed.) (2002) Treating compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge.

Herman, J. (1997). Trauma and recovery. New York: BasicBooks.

Parent, M. (1996). Turning stones: My days and nights with children at risk. New York: Ballantine.

Pryce, J. G., Shackelford, K. K., & Pryce, D. H. (2007). Secondary traumatic stress and the child welfare professional. Chicago: Lyceum Books.

Rothschild, B. (2006). Help for the helper: The psychophysiology of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. New York: Norton.

Saakvitne, K.W. and Pearlman, L.A. (1997). Transforming the pain: A workbook on vicarious trauma. New York: W.W. Norton.

Stamm, B.H. (1995). Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators. Maryland: Sidran Press.

Tedeschi, R.G., Park, C. L., & L.G. Calhoun (1998). Posttraumatic growth: Positive changes in the aftermath of a crisis. London: Lawrence Erlbaum.

David Conrad, LCSW ISPCAN Training and Consultation Project Coordinator • training@ispcan.org

Senior Clinical Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO

IntroductionThe UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) consists of 54 Articles, of which Article 19 is concerned with child maltreatment, termed violence against children in the Article.

Article 19: The right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence1

Several of the Articles have had General Comments prepared for them. A General Comment (GC) is actually a detailed specification and amplification of the content and meaning of the particular Article. The CRC Committee invited the International Institute for Child Rights and Development (IICRD) and ISPCAN jointly to prepare a draft for a GC 13 for Article 19 which, following consideration and modification by the Committee, was adopted by the Committee on 11 February 2011.

Development of the GC 13A working group of international, multidisciplinary practitioners, academics and service planners/providers was convened and was supported by a wider consultation group. The project was led by two ISPCAN and two IICRD representatives in an executive committee. Financial support for expenses was provided by the Oak Foundation. An iterative process, consisting of a series of email exchanges, and virtual and face-to-face meetings within the working group and consultation group, and with the CRC were undertaken to produce the General Comment. It was written by an appointed writer, who also provided the following, unofficial summary.

Unofficial SummaryGeneral Comment 13 (GC13) institutes a child rights-based approach to child caregiving and protection. Through GC13, the Committee encourages a paradigm shift to understand and apply Article 19 within the CRC’s overall perspective on securing children’s rights to survival, dignity, well-being, health and development, participation and non-discrimination. The Committee emphasizes in the strongest terms that child protection must begin with proactive prevention of all forms of violence as well as explicitly prohibiting all forms of violence. Furthermore, it declares the need to avoid fragmented initiatives and encourages implementing measures instead through a child rights-based, comprehensive coordinating framework. GC13 articulates the first UN-related ‘official’ definition of a ‘child rights-based approach.’Overview1. The general comment takes the text of Article 19 as a starting point.2. It draws on global experience in the field of child caregiving and protection (including, amongst other things, General

Comment No. 8 (2006) on corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment and the UN Study on Violence Against Children).

3. It emphasises the following key concepts:• “No violence against children is justifiable; all violence against children is preventable.”2

• A child rights-based approach to child care and protection.• The importance of the concept of dignity, the rule of law principle, the empowerment and participation of children,

and the best interests of the child.• The primary prevention, through public health and other approaches, of all forms of violence.• The primary position of families – including extended families – in child care and protection and in the prevention of

violence.• Acknowledgement of the extent and intensity of violence against children in different settings.

4. It outlines the negative impact of violence on children’s life, survival and development as well as on society as a whole.5. It examines each phrase of Article 19 in detail, giving concrete examples of the forms of violence experienced and the

measures that need to be taken across all stages of intervention.6. It situates Article 19 in the context of the CRC as a whole.7. It highlights the importance of CRC Articles 4 and 5 alongside those articles traditionally identified as principles of relevance

to the implementation of the whole Convention (Articles 2, 3.1, 6 and 12).8. It emphasises the need for a national coordinating framework on violence against children.9. It highlights resources for implementation and the need for international cooperation.10. The overall approach to the implementation of Article 19 can be organized and articulated within a ‘National

Coordinating Framework’ as follows on the next page:

General Comment No. 13 for Article 19 of the CRC and Plans for its Proposed Implementation

Article 191. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.

2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.

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The full text of GC13 can be found at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/comments.htm). It has now been translated into Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.

Steps towards implementation of GC13An international ad hoc GC13 Implementation Steering Committee has now been formed, which includes individuals as well as representation from the African Child Policy Forum, IICRD, ISPCAN, NGO Group for the CRC, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children, UNICEF, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and WHO. The endeavour is being co-ordinated by IICRD with email, virtual and some face-to-face communication. The implementation plan will consists of 4 domains:

1. DisseminationGC 13 will be translated into further languages and the different organisations are planning ways of disseminating awareness and content of the General Comment. A dedicated website may be set up.

2. Resource Programme Collation and provision of information and publications relevant to the General Comment and models of practice are planned. An Operational Handbook is being written and will be published.

3. Education and Training Education and training programmes, focussing on a child rights approach to prevention of and intervention in child maltreatment, are being planned.

4. Accountability and Indicators of Implementation Different indicators are being collated and this domain will also include the use of data collection systems.

Funding for specific aspects is being sought.

We look forward to further developments.

Danya Glaser, MB, FRCPsych, Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, England.

National coordinating framework on violence against childrenAll ‘measures’ (described in paragraph 1 of Article 19) need to be applied across all ‘stages of intervention’ (paragraph 2) through a comprehensive coordinating framework developed collaboratively, coordinated centrally and locally, and adequately resourced which mainstreams:

• A child rights approach

• The gender dimensions of violence

• Prioritisation of primary prevention

• The primary position of families in child care and protection strategies

• Identifying and strengthening resilience and protective factors

• Minimising risk factors

• Attention to children in potentially vulnerable situations

• Resource allocation

• Coordination mechanisms

• Accountability

Donor RecognitionRecognizing contributions of time and resources during 2011

ISPCAN Honorary Ambassadorcontributions of US $50,000 & above

The Oak Foundation (Switzerland)

Distinguished Benefactorcontributions of US $15,000 - $49,999

Child Aid InternationalHenry J. Plum, JD

ISPCAN Donorscontributions of US $2,500 - $14,999

Elsevier, Ltd (UK)Chadwick Center/Rady Children’s Hospital

ISPCAN Individual & Corporate Donorscontributions of US $50 - $2,499

Muna Al-Saadoon American Express Charitable Foundation Anonymous Kazi Selim Anwar Sherrie Bowen Evin Daly Mirella Del Degan Mark Erickson Jennifer Gray Kari KillenMartin J. and Susan B. Kozak Fund at The Chicago Community Trust

Francine Lamers-WinkelmanMaria LitchfordKristen MacLeodCarmel MurphyMaria PadilhaIrina ReppJoe Sprague, Community Learning Centers

Lila StrubinStudents at Utica Academy for International Studies

Super Flexible Software Ltd.United Way - anonymousRae Ann Wentworth

ISPCAN Volunteers

Alia GrantSue IsselhardYaneth Lobo

1 The term “violence” is used in the general comment to mean “all forms” of harm listed in paragraph 1 of Article 19.

2 Report of the independent expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children (A/61/299) paragraph 1.

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The LINK is published three times annually by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)

Editors: Julie Todd and Adam TomisonISPCAN Executive Director: Sherrie Bowen

LINK Production: Kayla Manzel

© 2011. All rights reserved by ISPCAN, a membership organization with representatives from 180 nations committed to child abuse and neglect prevention. Views expressed in The LINK are not necessarily endorsed by ISPCAN.

For more information contact ISPCAN: 13123 E 16th Ave., B390 • Aurora, Colorado 80045 • USA

Tel: 1.303.864.5220 • Fax: 1.303.864.5222 • Email: ispcan@ispcan.org • Web site: www.ispcan.org

CALL FOR NOMINATION OF ISPCAN EXECUTIVE COUNCILORS 2012-2018

ISPCAN is now accepting nominations for seven (7) vacancies for the 2012 - 2018 Executive Council. We encourage strongandmotivatedcandidates,withprovenleadershipandinternationalexperienceinthefieldofchildabuseandneglect prevention.

All applications must include the following forms, which are available at www.ispcan.org:• One completed Nominee Form;

• Two completed Nominator Forms for each nominee;

• A letter of commitment to duties and responsibilities of holding a Council position, described below;

• A 75 word biography from each nominee for inclusion in the ISPCAN Ballot Form;

• A 20 - 25 word statement of intent from each nominee for inclusion on the ISPCAN Ballot Form;

• Each nominee must have been a member of ISPCAN in good standing (membership dues paid) for at least one year prior to the closing of nominations (as of 15 November 2010).

ISPCAN Executive Councilor Duties and Responsibilities:• AttendannualISPCANExecutiveCouncilmeetings(3to5daysperyear;firstmeetingwillbeheld5to7

September 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey);

• Serve on one or more Council Committees (about 12 - 15 hours per month reviewing and commenting on policy and other Council and Committee related communications, as well as Committee project work);

• Encouraged to attend the biennial ISPCAN International Congresses, including the Congress in Turkey (9 to 12 September 2012). Accommodations, registration and other expenses during the Congress are at the Councilors’ expense.

• Promote ISPCAN membership and actively participate on the ISPCAN member Listserv and Virtual Issues Discussions (VIDs);

• Provide fundraising contacts, ideas and actual involvement.

Deadline:

All nomination forms MUST be postmarked or received no later than midnight CST on 15 November 2011. Forms should be sent to:Nominations CommitteeInternational Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect13123 E. 16th Avenue, B390Aurora, Colorado 80045, USAfax: +1-303-864-5222; e-mail: ispcan@ispcan.org.

Only signed nominations will be accepted by mail, fax or e-mail. Nominations submitted by e-mail must include electronic signature.Forfurtherinformation,pleasefeelfreetocontacttheISPCANSecretariatOfficebye-mailat ispcan@ispcan.org or by phone at 1-303-864-5220.

Sincerely,

Jenny Gray Henry J. PlumJenny Gray Henry J. Plum, J.D.Nominations Committee Chair Parliamentarian/Legal Advisor