Dear Colleagues – 

On behalf of Harriet Ward and Jane Barlow, I am writing to you today to advance the work of the International Research Network on Infants and Toddlers in Child Protection.

As you may recall, the International Network on Infants and Toddlers in Child Protection hosted a virtual seminar back on 20 May 2021.  We had one broad purpose in mind with two supporting activities.  The broad purpose was to continue the progress carried over from the Oxford meeting in 2019.  As hosts of the Oxford meeting, we learned that there is substantial interest in an international research network dedicated to infants, toddlers, and child protection.  We also learned that there is alignment among those in attendance around the idea that a research network could advance what we know about the issues affecting families with very young children and how together with policymakers and practitioners we might support efforts to meet the needs of these families with greater efficacy and equity in mind.  

To reinforce the Network’s work-to-date, the May 2021 program included 1) an invitational business meeting and 2) a seminar open to a broader audience of interested persons.  Minutes of the meeting as well as a recording of the presentations are available.  Briefly, the business meeting raised important questions about the purpose of the Network for members to consider.  The seminar demonstrated yet again that infants, toddlers, and child protection represent an important field of study for those of us concerned with building a more responsive, equitable system of family support.

Among the decisions reached at the May 2021 meeting, we agreed to target the 2021 EUSARF conference as the next opportunity to bring Network members together.  In keeping with that commitment, what follows is:

i)               an agenda for a follow-up business meeting on August 31^st (see below for local times) that will be distributed to Network members who attended the business portion of the meeting on 20th May 2021, or who sent apologies;

ii)              a plan for how we might use the time we have set aside for us at our symposium at the EUSARF conference that is coming up on September 3^rd. 

If you have any suggestions or concerns with regard to either of these proposals please email either myself, Harriet Ward or Jane Barlow.