Capacity building is a key goal for child protection services. Child protection workers need to build the capacity of parents to care for their children, the capacity of communities to support families, and the capacity of young people to look after themselves. However, these aims are often undermined by a range of factors including increasing caseloads and emphasis on risk assesment and child protection laws in child protection agencies; difficulties building trust relationships in the context of interventions; limited understanding of the extent of problems; and contested ideas over what is considered acceptable parenting.

The overall objective of this project is to demonstrate how safety for children can be improved and care capacity in the child’s local community can be more effectively harnessed through a responsive regulatory approach. Originally funded through an ARC linkage grant awarded in 2006, further information is available on the project website.