Child Abuse Review: Call for Continuing Professional Development Section Peer Reviewers

The Journal  

Child Abuse Review is a multi-disciplinary journal, providing the latest research, training initiatives and practice developments for all those involved with child protection and safeguarding. The journal publishes six issues a year, including peer reviewed research, continuing professional development papers and an increasing number of Open Access articles.

The journal is supported by a dynamic and diverse international Editorial Board, including Associate Editors, a Statistical Editor and Editorial Office staff. It has an Impact Factor of 1.354 and has a successful and expanding social media presence on @Child_Abuse_Rev.

Continuing Professional Development

The Continuing Professional Development section invites 2,000 word submissions from practitioners, which highlight issues and implications for contemporary practice. Each submission is peer reviewed by two reviewers with expertise in the field and when accepted, becomes part of a contemporary forum for practice knowledge. Submitting authors can use accepted papers to evidence professional revalidation or accreditation.

The Continuing Professional Development section makes occasional Call for Papers on relevant themes, including a recent successful Call for reflective submissions on the impact of Covid 19.

Peer Reviewers

Due to expanding interest, the Continuing Professional Development section is seeking to expand its network of expert Reviewers. This is an unpaid role but one which provides an opportunity to read the latest research, evidence accreditation and expand CV activities. Reviewers receive a Reviewer Recognition Certificate from CAR every January, and are invited to record their reviewer activity as measurable research output via Publons, ensuring they receive credit each time they complete a peer review report. Reviewers who prove to be especially engaged will be considered for invitation to the Editorial Board.

Peer reviewers should have experience of one of the multi-disciplinary fields of expertise included in the journal’s remit, as well as knowledge and proficiency in a relevant area of safeguarding and child protection.

Peer Reviewer

Role  Description

• To work closely with the Associate Editor for CPD, Associate Editor for social media, Editorial Office and Editors in Chief to review allocated papers. This will include a reasonable and appropriate number of designated papers per annum to be accepted and reviewed within agreed time limits. Where it is not possible to review, the invitation should be rejected in a timely manner so that the paper can be allocated elsewhere.
• To communicate any conflicts of interest or other relevant issues to the appropriate Associate Editors, Editorial Office and/or Editors in Chief
• To act as an advocate for the Journal within professional networks
• To maintain continuing professional development and expertise in related fields.

Person Specification

• Expertise and experience in safeguarding and child protection
• Reliability, transparency, and good organisational skills
• IT skills including ability to utilise online reviewing platform
• Excellent time keeping skills
• Commitment to confidentiality
• Commitment to principles of equality and diversity
• Excellent written skills, and commitment to the publication of clearly presented and accessible scholarship
• Constructive and inclusive approach to reviewing practice papers
• A good understanding of different forms of practice submissions, including reflexivity, qualitative and quantitative research and ethics.