BASPCAN (the British Association for Child Abuse and Neglect) has been bringing together practitioners and researchers in the field of child protection and safeguarding since 1979. We have an excellent reputation for maintaining an unrelenting multi-agency focus, rigorous research (published in our journal Child Abuse Review), and high quality advanced level events. However, we have increasingly found our name to be holding us back when trying to discuss who we are and what we do with new audiences. We are a small organisation in terms of marketing and advertising resources, although we have a national reach. We want to make it really clear to people who we're for and what we do.
Our new identity as the Association of Child Protection Professionals follows a process of review and consultation about how to explain what we do more widely, and symbolises who we are and what we stand for.
We hope it will encourage more of those working in the field of child protection research and practice, who are sometimes isolated within their roles, to realise we are here as a community of like-minded professionals sharing knowledge, experience and best practice, and supporting one another in these challenging times.
Our name might have changed but our aims remain the same:
If you share our aims then please join or donate today. Your contributions enable us to continue to support the sector and ultimately children and families.
If you have been with BASPCAN throughout our journey then thank you for being part of our community and I hope you will support the new evolution of your Association. Please consider getting involved with our 40th Anniversary celebrations by sharing your recollections of the work we have done and the difference we've made. Email any thoughts, photos, or historic materials to hello@aocpp.org.uk We'd love to share them.
And look out for our celebratory Gala Ball - details coming soon!
