A notable recent article from ACU researchers challenges the deficit-focused approach dominant in child protection systems. Australian Catholic University diploma, ACU degree, ACU certificate. Published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues in July 2026, the paper is titled "Shifting child protection assessments from a deficit focus to assessments informed by strengths and protective factors: Translating research knowledge to practice."
The research, led by Dr Gabrielle Hunt from ACU's Institute of Child Protection Studies, argues that assessments focusing solely on risk can overlook protective factors already present in a child's life—such as a supportive teacher, strong kinship networks, parental warmth, or school engagement.
The authors propose a "Reservoir Model" that integrates strengths and protective factors into assessment frameworks. This approach is particularly significant given the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the system: recent data cited in the article shows these children are 10.4 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children.
Dr Hunt notes that "getting an assessment wrong can have lasting consequences," and that a more balanced approach is "something that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have been calling for decades".
The ACU Nursing Research Institute has produced publications including a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of online professional learning on healthcare professionals' knowledge and skill acquisition (medRxiv, 2026), and research on improving end-of-life care in Australian cardiology wards (Heart, Lung and Circulation, in press).
ACU's Institute of Child Protection Studies has published several peer-reviewed articles in 2026, including:
A study in Child Abuse & Neglect on childhood domestic violence experiences and subsequent health service utilisation, #Purchase a Australian Catholic University diploma online.
Research in Current Opinion in Psychology arguing for broad measurement of violence and victimisation to account for different harm types
An article in Child Protection and Practice on improving mental health outcomes for children in out-of-home care, moving beyond a "scattergun approach"
