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2. Bonding: Mothering Magic or Pseudo Science: A Critical Review of Some of the Research in the Area. Selected Papers Number 40.
- Author
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Foundation for Child and Youth Studies, Kensington (Australia). and James, Deidre
- Abstract
This article commences with a review of the issues in the empirical literature surrounding the concept of 'bonding,' and notes some particular parallels with the concept of 'attachment,' demonstrating links between the two. The comparison is followed by a review of empirical findings of studies involving animals and humans, including those dealing with methodological problems of the research as well as practical issues such as breast feeding and child abuse and neglect. Implications of the bonding doctrine are then discussed. It is concluded that, since almost one half of Australian married women are in the workforce, practical considerations in addition to empirical issues argue for promoting the concept of 'parent love' rather than that of 'mother love.' A five-page reference list is appended. (RH)
- Published
- 1985
3. Student paper : the impact of poverty on children's experiences of school.
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Alexander, A.
- Published
- 2008
4. Locating Child Protection in Preservice Teacher Education
- Author
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Walsh, Kerryann, Laskey, Louise, McInnes, Elspeth, Farrell, Ann, Mathews, Ben, and Briggs, Freda
- Abstract
A recent report delivered by the Australian Centerer for Child Protection has highlighted the need for empirical evidence of effective pedagogies for supporting teaching and learning of child protection content in Australian teacher education programs (Arnold & Mai-Taddeo, 2007). This paper advances this call by presenting case study accounts of different approaches to teaching child protection content in University-based teacher education programs across three Australian States. These different cases provide a basis for understanding existing strategies as an important precursor to improving practice. Although preschool, primary and secondary schools have been involved in efforts to protect children from abuse and neglect since the 1970s, teacher education programs, including preservice and in service programs, have been slow to align their work with child protection agendas. This paper opens a long-overdue discussion about the extent and nature of child protection content in teacher education and proposes strategies for translating research into practice. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)
- Published
- 2011
5. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Educators' Reporting Practices of Maltreatment: An Australian Study.
- Author
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McCallum, Faye
- Abstract
Despite legal mandates that educators report their suspicions concerning abuse and neglect of their students, professionals fail to report their suspicions. In the present research, all schools in South Australia were surveyed to explore educators' experiences with mandatory notification training and school reporting practices. The purpose was to ascertain what led educators to report or not to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect. The sample (n=328) was made up of classroom teachers and educators in leadership positions. Findings are reported in three parts: the current mandatory notification situation for educators; the difficulties affecting educators' reporting practices; and strategies for improved reporting practices. It is time to review child protection practices in the light of a continued increase in child abuse and neglect statistics. This paper posits the view that improved professional development and positive and collaborative work with supportive leaders can assist the reporting practices of educators by confronting the personal and professional dilemmas associated with under-reporting. (Contains 38 references.) (MKA)
- Published
- 2000
6. Factors Influencing Early Childhood Education and Care Educators' Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Author
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Ayling, Natasha J., Walsh, Kerryann, and Williams, Kate E.
- Abstract
Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect is a complex yet essential responsibility tasked to many professional groups working with children, including the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce. This paper provides a narrative review synthesising the empirical literature on factors influencing ECEC educators' reporting of child abuse and neglect, including knowledge and training, attitudes, thresholds for reporting, work experience and context, inter-organisational co-operation and self-efficacy. These factors can act as barriers and facilitators to effective reporting practice and are likely to interact in dynamic yet modifiable ways. Findings from the review may be useful for informing future education and training initiatives for the ECEC workforce. Further research is warranted in this area.
- Published
- 2020
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7. A Fresh Approach to Child Protection Practice and Legislation in Australia.
- Author
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Carney, Terry
- Abstract
Some of the findings of the Victorian Review, a recent comprehensive review by an Australian independent commission of child welfare practice and legislation, are reported and summarized. The report concludes that a community approach to welfare should shape child protection, with judicial involvement a last resort. (MSE)
- Published
- 1989
8. Is There a Case for Mandatory Reporting of Racism in Schools?
- Author
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Auld, Glenn
- Abstract
This paper explores how the colonial hegemony of racism in Australia could be disrupted in schools by introducing mandatory reporting of racism by teachers in Australia, and addresses the benefits and risks of mandatory reporting of racism. Using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as a case study, the ongoing prevalence of racism in schools is established. I then draw on the literature associated with teachers' mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect to construct racism as a form of emotional abuse of children. The complexity of racism as evidenced from the literature limits the mandatory reporting to interactional racism by teachers as an antiracist practice. The justification for mandatory reporting covers the emotional stress caused by racism to students and can also be extended to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff in schools. The evidence of learning success where antiracism strategies have been introduced in schools, the opportunity to normalise bystander antiracism by teachers, and the alignment of this reporting initiative with the professional standards of teachers together support a case for mandatory reporting of racism in schools. The arguments against mandatory reporting of racism draw on the generative practices of teachers integrating antiracist discourses in schools.
- Published
- 2018
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9. Child-Rearing Inc.: On the Perils of Political Paralysis Down Under
- Author
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Graham, Linda J.
- Abstract
In his 2007 PESA keynote address, Paul Smeyers discussed the increasing regulation of child-rearing through government intervention and the generation of "experts", citing particular examples from Europe where cases of childhood obesity and parental neglect have stirred public opinion and political debate. In his paper ("Child-Rearing: On government intervention and the discourse of experts", this issue), Smeyers touches on a number of tensions before concluding that child-rearing qualifies as a practice in which liberal governments should be reluctant to intervene. In response, I draw on recent experiences in Australia and argue that certain tragic events of late are the result of an ethical, moral and social vacuum in which these tensions coalesce. While I agree with Smeyers that governments should be reluctant to "intervene" in the private domain of the family, I argue that there is a difference between intervention and support. In concluding, I maintain that if certain Western liberal democracies did a more comprehensive job of supporting children and their families through active social investment in primary school education, then schools would be better equipped to deal with the challenges they now face.
- Published
- 2008
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10. A Comparison of Pre-Service Training To Identify and Report Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect in Australia and the United Kingdom.
- Author
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McCallum, Faye and Baginsky, Mary
- Abstract
This study examines how Australian and British preservice training programs incorporate child abuse intervention. Australian student teachers complete compulsory training in mandated notification as part of their program. Evaluation of student teachers who completed the training indicated that they highly valued it, though they were confused about who mandated reporters were, categories of child abuse and neglect, and whether or not they had civil immunity if they reported in good faith. Confusion about policies and procedures directly influenced their confidence in identifying and reporting. In the United Kingdom, pressure over performance standards has left the issue of child welfare on hold, though one standard states that qualified teachers should demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of teachers' legal liabilities and responsibilities. Surveys of student teachers who participated in training with the newly developed Child Protection in Initial Teacher Training Tutor Pack indicated that this course needed to be integrated into, not grafted onto, the main program. Though most students believed teachers had a role in child protection, many expressed anxiety and confusion over the issue, including those who felt confident in their role related to child protection. Students wanted more thorough training on child protection. (Contains 63 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2001
11. The Changing Face of Childhood.
- Author
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Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne (Australia)., Ochiltree, Gay, and Edgar, Don
- Abstract
Originally prepared for the opening address of a seminar on child abuse and neglect held in Sydney on September 24, 1980, the aim of this discussion paper is to give a very brief picture of the conditions and life patterns of children from the Middle Ages into the twentieth century. The focus of the historical review is mainly on British children because Australia was settled as a British colony and many Australian traditions stem from colonial days. A brief "catalogue of disaster" reflecting the harsh social conditions under which families in general and children in particular had to suffer is presented in order to emphasize that it becomes very hard to draw the line between ideas of abuse and neglect in the present and normal treatment in the past. Emphasis is also given to the fact that in the past different treatment received by children was based on underlying, opposing views of the nature of a new baby. Attention is given to the historical development of articles of legislation protecting British children. Concluding paragraphs discuss the social conditions of childhood in Australia and indicate some of the problems of childhood (such as violence against children and unscrupulous advertising) in the context of the so-called child-centered twentieth century. (Author/RH)
- Published
- 1981
12. Prevention of Violence, Abuse and Neglect in Early Childhood: A Review of the Literature on Research, Policy and Practice
- Author
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Evans, Roy, Garner, Philip, and Honig, Alice S.
- Abstract
Today, levels of mistreatment of children are internationally reported as having reached epidemic proportions. Throughout recorded history babies and young children have suffered acts of violence by parents, care providers and others. However, "some believe that, for the first time in history, we are beginning to face the true prevalence and significance of child abuse" (Hopper, J. (2010). "Child abuse. Statistics, research and resources." Retrieved December 10, 2011, from http://www.jimhopper.com). In this review of the literature, we will use ECVAN (early childhood violence, abuse and neglect) to refer to violence, abuse and neglect of children, birth to eight years, in harmony with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). The review has been undertaken using a comprehensive series of data bases across all major disciplines which have regard to the heath, well-being and development of young children from birth to 8 years--and beyond wherever appropriate. The paper is guided by a socio-ecological model of contexts, participants and interactional complexity. There is no simple explanation for the abuse of young children--sometimes systemic in particular cultures--as there is no simple mechanism for the early identification of possible abusers and hence preventative practice. A wide range of contemporary research literature has enabled us to draw out significant issues related to abuse and abuse prevention. Central to all this we suggest is community engagement with the issue of child health, the establishment or refinement of public health policies and practices which through routine surveillance, parent support, education and multisectoral actions bring best practice to the fore within and on behalf of families and communities.
- Published
- 2014
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13. Commentary: Childhood Exposure to Environmental Adversity and the Well-Being of People with Intellectual Disabilities
- Author
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Emerson, E.
- Abstract
People with intellectual disabilities have poorer health than their non-disabled peers. They are also more likely to be exposed to a wide range of environmental adversities in childhood. Research undertaken in the general population has demonstrated that exposure to environmental adversity in childhood can have an adverse impact on health and well-being across the life course. Recently, research in this area has added new breadth and depth to our understanding of: (1) the extent to which cumulative exposure to environmental adversities across the life course, but especially in early childhood, can reduce health and well-being; (2) the social, psychological and biological mediating pathways through which environmental adversities may impair health; (3) the processes associated with resilience and vulnerability in the face of exposure to adversity; and (4) the social significance of these effects in accounting for the magnitude of the inequalities in health that are apparent both between and within populations. This new knowledge is making a significant contribution to the development of social policies that seek to combine health gain with the reduction in health inequalities. This paper attempts to apply this knowledge to research aimed at understanding and improving the health and well-being of people with intellectual disabilities. (Contains 1 figure and 1 footnote.)
- Published
- 2013
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14. The Development and Piloting of the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Parent Version (ICAST-P)
- Author
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Runyan, Desmond K., Dunne, Michael P., Zolotor, Adam J., Madrid, Bernadette, Jain, Dipty, Gerbaka, Bernard, Menick, Daniel Mbassa, Andreva-Miller, Inna, Kasim, Mohammed Sham, Choo, Wan Yuen, Isaeva, Oksana, Macfarlane, Bonnie, Ramirez, Clemencia, Volkova, Elena, and Youssef, Randa M.
- Abstract
Objective: Child maltreatment is a problem that has longer recognition in the northern hemisphere and in high-income countries. Recent work has highlighted the nearly universal nature of the problem in other countries but demonstrated the lack of comparability of studies because of the variations in definitions and measures used. The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect has developed instrumentation that may be used with cross-cultural and cross-national benchmarking by local investigators. Design and sampling: The instrument design began with a team of expert in Brisbane in 2004. A large bank of questions were subjected to two rounds of Delphi review to develop the fielded version of the instrument. Convenience samples included approximately 120 parent respondents with children under the age of 18 in each of six countries (697 total). Results: This paper presents an instrument that measures parental behaviors directed at children and reports data from pilot work in 6 countries and 7 languages. Patterns of response revealed few missing values and distributions of responses that generally were similar in the six countries. Subscales performed well in terms of internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha in very good range (0.77-0.88) with the exception of the neglect and sex abuse subscales. Results varied by child age and gender in expected directions but with large variations among the samples. About 15% of children were shaken, 24% hit on the buttocks with an object, and 37% were spanked. Reports of choking and smothering were made by 2% of parents. Conclusion: These pilot data demonstrate that the instrument is well tolerated and captures variations in, and potentially harmful forms of child discipline. Practice implications: The ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool--Parent Version (ICAST-P) has been developed as a survey instrument to be administered to parents for the assessment of child maltreatment in a multi-national and multi-cultural context. It was developed with broad input from international experts and subjected to Dephi review, translation, and pilot testing in six countries. The results of the Delphi study and pilot testing are presented. This study demonstrates that a single instrument can be used in a broad range of cultures and languages with low rates of missing data and moderate to high internal consistency. (Contains 3 tables.)
- Published
- 2009
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15. What Happens to Parents with Intellectual Disability following Removal of Their Child in Child Protection Proceedings?
- Author
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Mayes, Rachel and Llewellyn, Gwynnyth
- Abstract
It is unlikely that every parent with intellectual disability comes under the scrutiny of the care and protection system. That many do is evident in the figures from a number of countries that report between 30 and 40% of the children of parents with intellectual disability are removed from their parents' care and placed in protective custody, in foster care, or in a residential setting. Recent developments, particularly in the United Kingdom and Australia, in seeking permanent placement for children away from their parents earlier rather than later means that many of these children will not be reunited with their parents. As long as the prevalent attitude of current and future parental incompetence continues to exist, having a child taken away--permanently--remains a real possibility for many parents with intellectual disability. In this article, the authors highlight their concern about this situation, as well as their concern that little is known about the potentially devastating outcomes for these parents when their children are taken away by the State.
- Published
- 2009
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16. Identifying and Evaluating Teachers' Knowledge in Relation to Child Abuse and Neglect: A Qualitative Study with Australian Early Childhood Teachers
- Author
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Walsh, Kerryann and Farrell, Ann
- Abstract
Child abuse and neglect are serious social problems that make extraordinary demands on teachers' knowledge and professionalism. Yet the field of education has been slow to develop a discipline-specific knowledge base about child abuse and neglect for teachers and teacher education programmes and there is a paucity empirical research into teachers' knowledge in relation to child abuse and neglect. This paper describes a qualitative study of eight purposively selected early childhood teachers. To identify and evaluate their child abuse and neglect knowledge, Grossman's [(1990). "The making of a teacher: Teacher knowledge and teacher education." New York: Teachers College Press; (1995). Teachers' knowledge. In L. W. Anderson (Ed.), "International encyclopedia of teaching and teacher education" (2nd ed., pp. 20-24). Tarrytown, NY: Pergamon] typology of teachers' knowledge is used as an analytic framework on which to map the teachers' interview data. Findings reveal that, in the absence of preservice and inservice education specifically about child abuse and neglect, early childhood teachers held and deployed knowledge in resourceful ways. They used, as a basis, their existing early childhood knowledge and adapted this knowledge by augmenting it with a range of personal and professional knowledge resources to fit their particular challenges and situations. This approach, however competent and innovative, also reveals shortfalls in knowledge. Implications of this research are drawn for child abuse and neglect curriculum development in initial and continuing teacher education including the case for specialist knowledge needed to establish teachers' professional reputation for dealing capably with cases of child abuse and neglect.
- Published
- 2008
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17. Child Abuse Notification in a Country Town.
- Author
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Manning, Caroline and Cheers, Brian
- Abstract
This paper reports on a survey of 60 living groups in a remote town in Queensland, Australia, concerning child abuse notification. The survey focused on how strongly residents felt about abuse, how likely they were to notify, perceived indicators of abuse, facilitative and inhibiting factors in notifying, which authority they would notify, and rural factors affecting notification. (JDD)
- Published
- 1995
18. A Fresh or Flawed Approach to Child Protection in Victoria, Australia?
- Author
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Goddard, C. R.
- Abstract
The article responds to a previous one addressing child welfare practice and legislation in Australia. It maintains that child protection services in Victoria are inadequate, lacking in accountability and good working relations between the police and community services, and fail to meet standards of practice. (DB)
- Published
- 1990
19. Understanding child neglect in Aboriginal families and communities in the context of trauma.
- Author
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Newton, BJ
- Subjects
CHILD abuse ,CHILD welfare ,CHILDREN'S accident prevention ,COMMUNITY health services ,ETHNOPSYCHOLOGY ,EXPERIENCE ,HEALTH risk assessment ,INTERGENERATIONAL relations ,CULTURAL pluralism ,WOUNDS & injuries ,LABELING theory - Abstract
Child neglect is a significant concern for Aboriginal families and communities both in Australia and internationally. Service responses to child neglect are largely informed by child neglect theories, which explain the nature and causes of child neglect. However, child neglect is a problem that is worsening for Aboriginal children, suggesting that these theories are not appropriate. This paper argues that to meet the needs of Aboriginal families and communities where there is child neglect, policy and practice needs to acknowledge and address the impact of trauma in shaping the lived experiences of Aboriginal people. International literature discusses the impact and consequence of historical trauma within Indigenous families and communities, and separately, child maltreatment theorists have discussed the ecological nature of child neglect. However, the literature and evidence‐base linking the two, child neglect and historical trauma in Indigenous contexts, are very scant. This paper aims to fill this gap and emphasize the importance of addressing child neglect within Aboriginal families and communities in the context of historical trauma. Although this paper focuses on the post‐colonial experiences of Aboriginal people in Australia, the arguments can extend to many Indigenous cultures universally where child welfare interventions have resulted in significant and ongoing trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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20. Concerns of the Early Childhood Professional: An Australian Perspective.
- Author
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Clyde, Margaret
- Abstract
A study was conducted to discover the ethical and professional concerns of people working as early childhood professionals in kindergartens and day care centers in Victoria, Australia. A survey was sent to over 50 kindergartens and 50 government-subsidized child care centers within a 100-kilometer radius of central Melbourne. The survey consisted of open-ended and multiple-choice questions relating to critical issues and dilemmas relevant to the early childhood workers' experiences in face-to-face, administrative, and organizational roles. All members of staff in each center were surveyed. Findings, which were remarkably consistent with American data, indicated that there were many concerns which were common throughout the centers. Conflicts with parents emerged as the greatest concern. Preliminary appraisal of the results suggests that many of the dilemmas could be prevented by adequate preparation during pre-service or in-service training of early childhood workers. A small section of the survey is concerned with early childhood workers' attitudes towards working with male early childhood workers. (RH)
- Published
- 1989
21. Community Change Programs for Children and Youth At-Risk: A Review of Lessons Learned.
- Author
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Gross-Manos, Daphna, Cohen, Ayala, and Korbin, Jill E.
- Subjects
ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc. ,EVALUATION of human services programs ,SOCIAL support ,LEADERSHIP ,CHILD abuse ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,PRIVATE sector ,PUBLIC administration ,RISK assessment ,HUMAN services programs ,COMMUNITY-based social services ,NEEDS assessment ,SOCIAL case work - Abstract
The significant role of the community in the lives of children and youth at-risk has become increasingly clear to social work academics and professionals over the last three decades. Alongside the more traditional individual and family responses, community interventions have been designed to catalyze change in the environment of children and youth at-risk and supply holistic and sustainable responses to their needs. Ten such community intervention programs were identified from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Israel. Most employed the community development model, focused on developing leadership and social capital (improving community networking) and advancing coordination between the organizations and sectors in the field of risk among children and youth. The diverse programs reviewed focused both on at-risk children and youth in general or specifically on child abuse and neglect. The programs originated from different health, education, and welfare disciplines and sponsoring authorities. The majority were funded originally by private foundations; however, government involvement was significant, particularly in the adoption and support of initiatives after their development. The current analysis of the programs refers to core issues that arose from the review: professional orientation, main target unit, main initiator, and research and evaluation. Analysis of program characteristics enables identifying relevant aspects of these programs for use by policy, governmental, and nonprofit sector stakeholders seeking to develop similar programs. Conclusions and recommendations to advance the field are suggested considering the current context of government cuts in welfare funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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22. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Healthcare Costs in Adult Life.
- Author
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Loxton, Deborah, Townsend, Natalie, Dolja-Gore, Xenia, Forder, Peta, and Coles, Jan
- Subjects
HEALTH behavior ,HEALTH status indicators ,LONGITUDINAL method ,MEDICAL care ,MEDICAL care costs ,WOMEN'S health ,DISEASE prevalence ,DATA analysis software ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,ADVERSE childhood experiences - Abstract
The current study aims to present the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and examine the healthcare costs associated with primary, allied, and specialist healthcare services. The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health is a general health survey of four nationally representative age cohorts. The current study uses 20 years of survey and administrative data (1996–2015) from the cohort born 1973–1978. Overall, 41% of women indicated at least one category of childhood adversity. The most commonly reported type of childhood adversity was having a household member with a mental illness (16%), with the most commonly reported ACES category being psychological abuse (17%). Women who had experienced adversity in childhood had higher healthcare costs than women who had not experienced adversity. The healthcare costs associated with experiences of adversity in childhood fully justify a comprehensive policy and practice review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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