The 16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect was held April 16 to 21, 2007, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The conference theme, "Protecting Children, Promoting Healthy Families, and Preserving Communities," reflects the desire to ensure that every child enjoys a healthy family life in a nurturing community. It emphasizes the need to create safe havens for children, enabling them to thrive at home and in their neighborhood. Further, the theme promotes the idea of communities joining to establish collaborative relationships and strategies to prevent child maltreatment and provide responsive services and treatment.

Sponsored by the Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the conference brought together diverse professional and volunteer populations to promote new working relationships, exchange cutting-edge information on research, and review practice issues and model programs. A broad mix of interactive educational sessions allowed various disciplines and perspectives to come together to discuss policy, research, program, and practice issues concerning the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

For more information, visit the 16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect section on the Children’s Bureau website.