The process of reviewing deaths of children who had formerly been known to a child protection agency is emotive, and its value is often contested. This paper is written with the frontline practitioner in mind, and grapples with the complexities of how inquiries can make a difference in the world of all relevant stakeholders. It is contended that a goal of individual and systemic learning can be achieved if inquiries take place in a healthy, collaborative learning culture, if they are embedded in a multi-sectoral systemic framework, and if a reflective analysis is undertaken. Such inquiries would prioritise an understanding of the individual, organisational and systemic factors that influence thinking, feeling and doing. When constructed and experienced as opportunities for individual and collective learning, inquiries have the potential to add value to the whole service system and the practice of frontline workers, along with meeting the need for public accountability.

Thousands of Australian children are sexually abused every year, and the effects can be severe and long lasting. Not only is child sexual abuse a public health problem, but the acts inflicted are criminal offences. Child sexual abuse usually occurs in private, typically involving relationships featuring a massive imbalance in power and an abuse of that power. Those who inflict child sexual abuse seek to keep it secret, whether by threats or more subtle persuasion. As a method of responding to this phenomenon and in an effort to uncover cases of sexual abuse that otherwise would not come to light, governments in Australian States and Territories have enacted legislation requiring designated persons to report suspected child sexual abuse. With Western Australia’s new legislation having commenced on 1 January 2009, every Australian State and Territory government has now passed these laws, so that there is now, for the first time, an almost harmonious legislative approach across Australia to the reporting of child sexual abuse. Yet there remain differences in the State and Territory laws regarding who has to make reports, which cases of sexual abuse are required to be reported, and whether suspected future abuse must be reported. These differences indicate that further refinement of the laws is required.

Internationally, there is a growing trend for children and young people to participate in decisions affecting their lives (Bellamy 2002; Hart 1997). The active participation of children and young people is clearly articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). However, despite the international movement towards children's participation, there are precious few opportunities for Australian children and young people to contribute to policy and research debate in a sustainable manner. A review of the literature demonstrates that there are few ongoing research or policy advisory groups made up of children and young people, and those that are operational are generally auspiced by Children's Commissioners (e.g. New South Wales) and policy offices addressing the issues of children and young people.

In Western Australia, when children and young people are consulted, the dialogues tend to be short-term and issue-specific in nature. This paper will briefly discuss a number of techniques employed to engage Western Australian children and young people in dialogues about important issues affecting their lives. Using these examples, the barriers that challenge efficacious children's and young people's participation are discussed; finally, some suggested ways forward are delineated.

Children and young people placed in out-of-home care are often extremely vulnerable and can require intensive support. Their carers are often faced with significant challenges in effectively responding to their individual needs. This paper is the first in a series of four aimed at supporting carers to make effective responses to challenging behaviours displayed by children and young people in out-of-home care. This paper considers factors that influence an individual child or young person's behaviour as a means of encouraging proactive responses by carers that will address individual need. The series of papers is informed by Edelbrock's (1985) work identifying four clusters of challenging behaviours, with each paper examining one of these clusters. This first paper has a focus on oppositional behaviours. Ensuing papers will examine offensive behaviours, aggressive behaviours and delinquent behaviours respectively.

The present study provided rural adolescent males who might otherwise not seek professional psychological help with an innovative program, based on physical activity, which would link them into a wider sporting community. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in bringing about improvements in various areas of participants' mental health.

Participants were ten males ranging in age from 15 to 18 years residing in and around the Ballarat area. They were recruited in consultation with the coordinator of the YouthTracks @ TAFE program at the University of Ballarat and were identified as being at-risk of developing mental health problems. Results suggested that participation in the program contributed to statistically significant improvements in some aspects of the participants' mental health. Furthermore, participants reported an enjoyment of mountainboarding and described the difference the program has made to their lives. Findings of this study provide preliminary support for the mental health and social gains potentially obtained when rural youth are engaged in an innovative and enjoyable physical activity program.