About us

The Association of Child Protection Professionals is a registered charity and membership association. We provide education and professional development opportunities for those working in child protection.

Read more about what we mean by "child protection".

Previously known as BASPCAN, we have been driving improvement in child protection for 40 years by working with experienced professionals to influence policy and practice.

BASPCAN was founded in 1979 by a group of leading child protection practitioners and academics and in 2019 we became the Association of Child Protection Professionals.

Our Mission

Our mission is to improve the lives and safety of children by working with those in the sector to provide research, representation, training, and support.

Our Vision

Our vision is a world in which all children can grow up in safety and security, without risk of being abused or neglected.

Values

All the work and activities we undertake are based upon our core values and beliefs:

Children’s rights: These are at the heart of everything we do to ensure that we continue to make a positive difference to improving the protection and well-being of children and young people.
Professional needs: We respect the knowledge, experience, and expertise of child protection professionals and aim to focus on understanding and meeting their needs through our events and research. We aim to make this rigorous, authoritative and of excellent quality!
Compassion and respect: We recognise the systemic, psychological, and emotional difficulties involved for all those in contact with or working in the child protection system. We model and promote compassion and respect in our organisation and in all aspects of our work.
Social justice: We promote equality and inclusivity within our association and how we collaborate and support other organisations to ensure that social justice is core to what we do.
Humility, integrity, and courage: We have humility to recognise the limitations of our achievements, and that we must continually learn, improve, and act to improve the lives of children. We have integrity to stay true to our charitable objectives, and courage to voice hard truths openly and honestly.

How we do it

We use our events to offer training and professional development – covering a whole host of child protection subjects in various locations across the UK.
We support professional networking locally, nationally, and internationally.
We publish a high-impact journal, Child Abuse Review, providing access to the latest international research, practice developments, training initiatives, and policy issues.
We call for improvements in systems, law, policy, and practice to improve child protection.
We run a triennial international Congress .
We publish a quarterly newsletter – highlighting key events, training, opportunities, and research.
We offer membership to make the most of the above – special members rates for our events, subscription to Child Abuse Review, and the opportunity to be part of a like-minded community.

Latest

What makes for effective training?

In January 2018, I was both surprised & delighted to be the first recipient of the BASPCAN/NSPCC Trainer of the Year award. I’ve recently been asked to share my thoughts on training; how I’ve developed myself as a trainer and other aspects that may be of interest to others, which I’m delighted to do. One size never fits all, but hopefully this blog will be of interest to training colleagues! So, what makes for effective training? I have a few thoughts which I’m happy to share .
Research in practice shortlist announced

To mark 40 years at the heart of child protection our November conference celebrates excellent, evidence-informed practice in the public sector, focusing on examples which showcase research and practice working hand in hand. We will be sharing the learning from these at our multidisciplinary one-day conference, and launching the AoCPP Research and Practice Award 2019 at our celebratory gala dinner. We invited practitioners and researchers to submit an outline for a presentation at the event
Are children today seen and heard?

This blog, which is aimed at all those whose work brings them into contact with children and young people, questions why, despite these improvements, the burgeoning children’s rights agenda, and the promises of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, children continue to be marginalised, with their disenfranchisement contributing to both their invisibility and the risk of harm.
Affluence and safeguarding children workshop

This hands-on, discussion event will be based around case studies from practice, primarily from those working in health within the independent school sector, as school GPs or nurses. The main focus of the event is peer learning, and it will also include an opening talk, as well as a research overview.

'40 years on…. celebrating innovative and excellent practice and research in child protection.'

For 40-years we have been supporting professionals’ learning. To celebrate our anniversary, this conference will highlight real case studies of evidence-based practice, and practice informed evidence, and sharing the learning from these.
What we mean by "Child Protection"

Protecting children from the risk of harm is our core mission and what all our members work for, but there’s more to it than the narrow definition of “child protection”. We understand there are a range of factors involved in keeping children safe.

About us

The Association of Child Protection Professionals is a registered charity and membership association. We provide education and professional development opportunities for those working in child protection.
Join now

The Association of Child Protection Professionals is a charity which has been driving improvement in child protection for 40 years. We exist to help children by supporting the professionals who work with them. We provide access to research; quality and affordable CPD; and peer support to anyone working in child protection. Join the Association of Child Protection Professionals as a member today.
Leave a gift in your will

By remembering the Association of Child Protection Professionals in your Will, your gift will enable us to continue to support and work with child protection professionals towards a world in which all children can grow up in safety and security and without risk of being abused or neglected – now and for many years to come.
Who we help

We support anyone whose work is involved with protecting children or young people from harm. With backgrounds in social work, paediatrics, nursing, psychology, police, law, education, or research, our members and those we work with come from a wide range of disciplines. We help those who want to meet other like-minded professionals to share research, practice, and knowledge do just that.
The issue

The abuse and neglect of children is a huge and growing issue. We exist for those working in and researching child abuse and neglect. We provide access to the latest research, share best practice from the front line, provide affordable advanced practitioner CPD and training, and enable practitioners and researchers to connect as part of a national community working to support children and families.
Benefits of membership

We are the only organisation specifically devoted to supporting child protection professionals and researchers in the field. Join us to broaden your perspective, gain access to cutting edge research, and become part of a community sharing best practice for children.
Where we work

We are proud to support child protection research and practice across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Networking/peer support

We offer a range of networking opportunities to those working in child protection. Through various special interest groups, events and local branches we are able to offer an exchange of information, ideas and best practice for anyone working in safeguarding children and in particular to our members.
What our members say

What can you gain by becoming an Association of Child Protection Professionals member? Find out what our members say by reading some of our member testimonials.
AoCPP social media blackout: 20th - 24th May 2019

From 20th - 24th May 2019 we will be running a social media "blackout" to raise awareness of the issue of the ways in which the internet can be used to facilitate the abuse of children, and to put pressure on companies and the government to do more.