Springer announces the launch of International Journal on Child Maltreatment

Starting in June 2018, Springer Nature will publish a new journal on research into the prevention, control and mitigation of child abuse and neglect. The International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice will be published under the Springer imprint brand in collaboration with two renowned research institutions - The Kempe Center and The Haruv Institute. The Kempe Foundation, a charitable organization for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, will also be a valuable partner for the journal.

In four issues per year, the subscription journal with open access options will present all aspects of research dealing with the prevention, control and mitigation of child abuse and neglect. Reviews of child protection programs and policies will also be considered, as will scholarly reports of theory-grounded empirical research on the nature of child maltreatment and its causes and correlates.

The journal will be headed by founding editor-in-chief Gary B. Melton, who is associate director for community development and social policy at The Kempe Center and professor of pediatrics and of community and behavioral health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

"There have been great advances in public concern and knowledge about child maltreatment. However, large gaps persist in the knowledge needed to keep children safe. Older journals have often emphasized evidence that child maltreatment exists in diverse societies and that it has bad effects on people, both as children and later as adolescents and adults. Such findings by themselves may intensify public concern about child maltreatment. However, they seldom result in insights about how to enhance children's safety and wellbeing. This new journal will be a forum for presentation and analysis of innovative programs and policies for prevention, control, and mitigation of child abuse and neglect," said Melton.

Myriam Poort, Editorial Director Social Sciences and Humanities, said: "Springer is extremely pleased to be launching this journal which fills a space in our portfolio on wellbeing and quality of life studies. We have a longstanding history of cooperation with The Kempe Foundation, The Kempe Center, and The Haruv Institute and are confident that their support will ensure the journal will become an important forum for the development and wellbeing of children."

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