Child maltreatment has far reaching implications for a child’s healthy development. Its roots and causes range from the personal characteristics of the abuser and of the abused child, (such as socioeconomic and cultural background, and psychological, medical or psychiatric factors), to environmental factors (economic crisis, social norms) and more. The conference focused on the connections among these factors and child abuse and presented research on child maltreatment from the perspectives of a variety of disciplines- social sciences, humanities, medicine, nursing, public health, social work and law.

The Conference was attended by 170 researchers, professionals, policy makers, and students, among them 30 from abroad. It focused on the various forms and contexts of child maltreatment, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and child neglect.

Conference participants and lecturers included leading experts from Israel and abroad and was composed of plenary sessions, parallel symposiums, and panel discussions in which the various aspects and contexts of child abuse were presented.

Plenary lectures focused on the following issues:

• What constitutes a good child protection system?
• Child abuse in the media: Reflection of the phenomenon and its implications
• Multiculturalism and child abuse
• Abuse in early childhood: its long term impact, prevention and treatment

Conference program