Welcome
Assessment of Suspected Sexual Abuse in Children and Adolescents
6 - 7 March 2025
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This course is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary course for clinicians (doctors and nurses) wanting to gain competence, or have an update, in the medical assessment of children and young people referred for alleged sexual abuse.
The first such course took place in 1989, initiated by Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC), a voluntary organisation of doctors who recognised the lack of expertise in Aotearoa concerning child and adolescent sexual abuse. DSAC brought Professor Astrid Heger, a US paediatrician and internationally-recognised pioneer in this field, to New Zealand to run teaching seminars throughout the country. Professor Heger returned several times to deliver further such courses. |
Dr Patrick Kelly
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In 1998, Whakaruruhau took responsibility for clinical leadership of the course and began to take increasing responsibility for course content in collaboration with DSAC. By the year 2000 it was an annual course, and by 2008 it was 4 days long. Since 2010, it has been delivered entirely by staff from Te Puaruruhau and Puawaitahi. In 2017, DSAC became MEDSAC (Medical Sexual Assault Clinicians Aotearoa) and continued as course organiser and administrator until 2021.
This course is recognised by MEDSAC as one component on the pathway to accreditation for clinicians who intend to provide health services to tamariki and rangatahi who have experienced sexual abuse in Aotearoa, funded through the national Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment Services (SAATS) contract.
The course is also recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as a course which meets criteria for accredited child protection training for advanced trainees in general paediatrics and community child health. Nowadays, most attendees are RACP advanced trainees from both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Those who provide services to the victims of child and adolescent sexual abuse need to be well-trained and supported, compassionate, careful and objective. They must be aware of the many possible presentations of sexual abuse, and the frequent co-occurrence of sexual abuse and other forms of abuse, neglect and family violence. They also need to know how to function effectively in a bicultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment, and how to act competently (when required) as an expert witness in child protection or criminal proceedings. We believe this course provides the necessary foundation for practice of this quality, and we are committed to continuous course improvement in response to feedback and best evidence.
The pandemic forced us to cancel in 2020, so in 2021 and 2022 we went online. Two days of face-to-face content were transformed into eLearning modules and webinars. These materials, and the two-day live online course, were very well-received.
In 2025, we will hold the course in-person on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th March 2025. There will also be an option for registrants to attend the course virtually. There will be approximately 20-25 hours of online eLearning, which will become available one month before the live course. Materials will remain available online for 12 months after the course, and will be downloadable as high-quality pdf files.
We look forward to your participation.
Dr Patrick Kelly
Paediatrician | Course Director, Te Puaruruhau | Starship Child Health
This course is recognised by MEDSAC as one component on the pathway to accreditation for clinicians who intend to provide health services to tamariki and rangatahi who have experienced sexual abuse in Aotearoa, funded through the national Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment Services (SAATS) contract.
The course is also recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as a course which meets criteria for accredited child protection training for advanced trainees in general paediatrics and community child health. Nowadays, most attendees are RACP advanced trainees from both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Those who provide services to the victims of child and adolescent sexual abuse need to be well-trained and supported, compassionate, careful and objective. They must be aware of the many possible presentations of sexual abuse, and the frequent co-occurrence of sexual abuse and other forms of abuse, neglect and family violence. They also need to know how to function effectively in a bicultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment, and how to act competently (when required) as an expert witness in child protection or criminal proceedings. We believe this course provides the necessary foundation for practice of this quality, and we are committed to continuous course improvement in response to feedback and best evidence.
The pandemic forced us to cancel in 2020, so in 2021 and 2022 we went online. Two days of face-to-face content were transformed into eLearning modules and webinars. These materials, and the two-day live online course, were very well-received.
In 2025, we will hold the course in-person on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th March 2025. There will also be an option for registrants to attend the course virtually. There will be approximately 20-25 hours of online eLearning, which will become available one month before the live course. Materials will remain available online for 12 months after the course, and will be downloadable as high-quality pdf files.
We look forward to your participation.
Dr Patrick Kelly
Paediatrician | Course Director, Te Puaruruhau | Starship Child Health
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