Join us for the Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) and Department for Child Protection forum.

Anyone working with, or caring for, children and young people today - in schools, community services, or care environments - will have experienced the increasing presence of harmful sexual behaviours amongst children and young people. This forum brings together leading experts in the field of harmful sexual behaviours along with practice leaders to share their guidance about what is working to tackle this complex and confronting issue.

OUR SPEAKERS

Hon Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Child Protection

Opening remarks

Hon Katrine Hildyard is the Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. She is determined to work across government and community to help ensure that everyone is empowered to play their part in improving the lives of children and families. She previously served as Minister for Disabilities, Minister Assisting the Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Assistant Minister to the Premier in the Weatherill Labor Government and established the South Australian Women in Sport Taskforce.

Professor Leah Bromfield, Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia, and the 2025 Australian of the Year for South Australia

Harmful sexual behaviours: What are we talking about and why does it matter?

The fastest growing form of child sexual abuse in Australia is harm caused by children displaying harmful sexual behaviours. What are harmful sexual behaviours, how do we recognise them, and whose role is it to respond? Professor Leah Bromfield will provide an overview of the issue of harmful sexual behaviour with a focus on practical implications for professionals working with children.

Professor Leah Bromfield is an internationally recognised leader in the field of child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse and issues affecting child protection systems. Director of the Australian Centre for Child Protection, she is routinely called upon to provide advice to governments and as a Commissioner has led a state Inquiry. She currently Chairs the Tasmanian Uplifting Care Independent Expert Panel and South Australian Child Protection Expert Group, and Co-Chairs the National Advisory Group for the National Strategy for Child Sexual Abuse. The impacts of her research have been profound with lasting national and international changes to law, policy, and practice. Leah is the 2025 Australian of the Year for South Australia.

Ms Amanda Paton, Deputy Director Practice, Australian Centre for Child Protection, Clinical Psychologist

It’s not enough to just stop harmful sexual behaviour – we need to move from a risk focus to one that enhances safety and wellbeing.

In this presentation Amanda will showcase newly created resources for understanding, identifying and responding to harmful sexual behaviours within the out-of-home care context. Shift our thinking and responses from focusing primarily on risk to enhancing safety and longer-term wellbeing, this presentation will also explore implications for other sectors and contexts.

Amanda Paton is a Clinical Psychologist and executive leader with over 20 years’ experience across not-for-profit, government, and university sectors. She is Deputy Director, Practice at the Australian Centre for Child Protection, leading the development of evidence-based therapeutic models for child abuse, trauma, and harmful sexual behaviours (HSB). Amanda is UniSA’s Program Director of Child Trauma courses and chairs the National Strategy Advisory Group for HSB. She has led major national consultations and policy work, including the Minimum Practice Standards for services responding to child sexual abuse. Clinically, she specialises in treating complex trauma and training professionals in child sexual abuse and HSB.

Ms Simone Mather, Executive Director, Out of Home Care, Department for Child Protection

Micro learnings and resources for foster and kinship carers to support understanding and responses to Harmful Sexual Behaviour.

Harmful sexual behaviours in children is a topic that people find difficult and overwhelming to think about, particularly in the context of day-to-day care of vulnerable and at-risk children. The micro learnings and resources have been developed by the Australian Centre for Child Protection to support carers’ understanding and response to harmful sexual behaviours.

Simone Mather has over 17 years of experience in the social services sector who is passionate about improving the lives of children, youth, and families. She has a strong background in business administration and management, as well as social work. Her mission is to create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of children, youth, and families, by providing them with the support, opportunities, and empowerment they deserve.

OUR CHAIR

A/Professor Zohra Lassi (HDA Co-Convenor), Robinson Research Institute and School of Public Health, University of Adelaide

Zohra Lassi is a trained epidemiologist recognised internationally for her work identifying interventions for improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition in disadvantaged settings by advancing knowledge in public health practice and translation into global health policies and guidelines.

Other event information:

Networking and light refreshments will follow the session from 7.15pm.

This is a public forum and also open to the community, everyone is welcome to attend.

Contact the host of Preventing and responding to Harmful Sexual Behaviours in children and young people: Promising practice

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