Professor Daryl Higgins
Director, Institute of Child Protection Studies
Areas of expertise: child protection; child abuse; neglect; family functioning; parenting; safeguarding; child maltreatment; prevention
HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Full
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0268-8243
Phone: +61 03 9953 3607
Email: Daryl.Higgins@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Melbourne Campu
Professor Daryl Higgins commenced as the Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS) in February 2017. His research focuses on public health approaches to protecting children, and child-safe organisational strategies. A registered psychologist, Prof Higgins has been researching child abuse impacts and prevention, family violence, and family functioning for over 25 years. Prof Higgins has contributed to more than 250 publications (including over 80 peer-review journal articles) and more than 500 presentations and media engagements. He has extensive experience in managing and supervising research. He has led projects looking at child abuse and neglect, child protection, children in out-of-home care, child-safe organisations, family law and allegations of child abuse, disability and family care, welfare reform, family and interpersonal violence, jobless families, past adoption and forced family separation practices, and community development approaches to child and family welfare issues. He is one of the Chief Investigators on a National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant (APP1158750) 2019-2023 to conduct the first national study of child abuse and neglect in Australia: prevalence, health outcomes, and burden of disease. The team of international investigators is led by QUT. NHMRC funding: $2,311,217. Additional funding of over $500,000 has also been obtained from other Australian Government agencies.
Visit ACU safeguarding
Select publications
- Doyle, F. L., Morawska, A., Higgins, D. J., Havighurst, S., Mazzucchelli, T., Toumbourou, J., Middeldorp, C., Chainey, C., Cobham, V., Harnett, H., & Sanders, M. R. (2021). Policies are needed to increase the reach and impact of evidence-based parenting supports. [preprint] https://psyarxiv.com/732ws/ DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/732ws
- Mathews, B., Pacella. R., Dunne, M., Scott, J., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Higgins, D., Erskine, H., Thomas, H., Haslam, D., Tran, N., Le, H., Honey, N., & Kellard, K. (2021). The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS): Protocol for a national survey of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect, associated mental disorders and physical health problems, and burden of disease. BMJ Open 11:e047074. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047074
- Russell, D. H., Trew, S., & Higgins, D. J. (2021). Vulnerable yet forgotten? A systematic review identifying the lack of evidence for effective suicide interventions for young people in contact with child protection systems. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.
- Herrenkohl, T., Scott, D., Higgins, D., Klika, B., & Lonne, B. (2021). How COVID-19 is placing vulnerable children at risk and why we need a different approach to child welfare. Child Maltreatment, 26(1):9-16. doi:10.1177/1077559520963916
81. Russell, D., Anderson, J., Riggs, D., Ullman, J., & Higgins, D. J. (2020). Gender diversity and safety climate perceptions in schools and other youth-serving organizations. Child and Youth Services Review 117, art. no. 105334. https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1bZaPhNfKp93r
80. Russell, D., Higgins, D., & Posso, A. (2020). Preventing child sexual abuse: A systematic review of interventions and their efficacy in developing countries. Child Abuse & Neglect, 102.
- Herenkohl, T. I., Lonne, B., Higgins, D., & Scott, D. (2020). The personal security of children demands bold system reform. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice 3, 9–17.
- Russell, D., & Higgins, D. (2020). Safeguarding capabilities in preventing child sexual abuse: A scale measuring knowledge, attitudes and skills applicable to all youth-serving sectors. Child Maltreatment, 25(2), 233–242.
- Lonne, B., Higgins, D., Herrenkohl, T., & Scott, D. (2019). Reconstructing the workforce within public health protective systems: Improving resilience, retention, service responsiveness and outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect.
- Sanders, M. R., Higgins, D. J., & Prinz, R J. (2018). A population approach to the prevention of child maltreatment: Rationale and implications for research, policy, and practice. Family Matters, 100, 62-70.
- Higgins, D. J. (2018). Capability, treatment services and prevention strategies: Implications of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse for the role of Psychologists. InPsych, 40(2).
- Lonne, B., Scott, D., Higgins, D., & Herrenkohl, T. (Eds.) (2019). Re-visioning public health approaches for protecting children. Child Maltreatment 9: Contemporary Issues in Research and Policy Series. Springer.
Projects
Editorial roles
- International Editorial Board member, Child Maltreatment (2005- )
- International Editorial Advisory Board member, Sexual and Relationship Therapy (2006- )
- Editorial Committee, Developing Practice: The Child, Youth & Family Work Journal (2011- )
- Editorial panel member, Family Matters (2005-2017)
- Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021- )
International journal review panel:
- Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence
- Child Abuse Review
- Journal of Sexual Aggression
- International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice
Grant agency review panel
Public engagement
- Russell, D., & Higgins, D. (2021). Listening to children and young people’s voices about safety in organisations. Child Family Community Australia (CFCA). Australian Institute of Family Studies. Republished by The Sector (13/7/21):
- Page, Z., & Higgins, D. (2021). Exploring adult responses to concerning sexual behaviours of young people in specialist school settings. Canberra: ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies.
- Higgins, D. J. (2021, March 15). We need to break through the culture of silence around child sexual abuse. LinkedIn [online].
- Higgins, D. J. (2021, February 16). Child rights to online safety: how parents can offer support – Part 1. LinkedIn [online].
- Higgins, D. J. (2021, February 16). Child rights to online safety: how parents can offer support – Part 2. LinkedIn [online].
- Higgins, D. (2020). A public health approach to protecting children. Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University.
- Russell, D., Dickson, J., & Higgins, D. (2020). A systematic review of research with non-abused children and young people regarding online sexual abuse and eSafety. PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020202537 Registered 12/9/2020. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020202537
- Mathews, B., Pacella, R., Dunne, M., Scott, J., Finkelhor, D., Higgins, D., Meinck, F., Erskine, H., Thomas, H., & Haslam, D. (2020). The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire - R2: Adapted Version (Australian Child Maltreatment Study).
- Higgins, D. & Dean, A. (2020). Ensuring all children get the best start in life: A population approach to early intervention and prevention. Child Family Community Australia (CFCA). Australian Institute of Family Studies.
- Cahill, A., Higgins, D. & Kerr, S. (2020). System reform for children and young people in statutory child exposed to domestic and family violence, Research to Practice Series. Research to Practice Series. Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University.
- Higgins, D. & Battaglia, M. (2019). Safeguarding principles for residential care and youth justice. Research to Practice Series, Issue 26. Canberra: ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies. [online].
- Higgins, D. (22 October 2018). The national apology to victims of institutional child sexual abuse matters. Here's why [online]. The Conversation.
Twitter: @HigginsDaryl
