From June 13 to 14, the International Conference on "Practice Innovation and Standards Specification for Social Work Services in Child Protection," hosted by the China Association of Social Work, supported by the UNICEF China Office, and organized by the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University, was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu. More than 300 participants attended, including scholars and researchers from universities and research institutions across over ten countries and regions, practitioners from social work management and service organizations, and student representatives.
The opening ceremony was held at the International Conference Center on the Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University. Gao Fang, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Social Sciences at Nanjing University, delivered a speech on behalf of the university. She noted that Nanjing University has a deep-rooted legacy in social work education: as early as 1928, it pioneered a social work specialization, and later established the country's first independent department dedicated to training social work professionals—the Department of Social Welfare Administration—which laid the foundation for social work education in China.
Wang Sibin, President ofChina Social WorkAcademyand Professor at Peking University, pointed out that this conference constitutes a key measure for implementing the strategic plans of the Party and the state, and is of great significance for advancing the high-quality development of child protection services in China.
Peng Huamin, VicePresident of theChina AssociationforSocial Work Education and Professor at Nanjing University, remarked in her address that the establishment of the Central Social Work Department has provided strong institutional support for professional engagement in the protection of minors.
Amanda Bissex, UNICEF Representative to China (OIC), acknowledged China's notable progress in child protection, shared UNICEF's global experience, and expressed her willingness to further deepen practical cooperation.
Wang Dongliang, Chief of Care and Service Division, Department of Child Welfare, Ministry of Civil Affairs, introduced the Ministry's recent efforts in building community-level child welfare service systems. He stressed the importance of providing professional and standardized social work services to safeguard the healthy growth of children.
Ms. Gao Fang, Assistant President of Nanjing University and Director of the Office of Humanities and Social Sciences
Professor Wang Sibin, President of the China Association of Social Work, Professor at Peking University
Professor Peng Huamin, Vice President of the China Association for Social Work Education, Professor at Nanjing University
Ms. Amanda Bissex, UNICEF Representative to China (OIC)
Comrade Wang Dongliang, Chief of Care and Service Division of the Department of Child Welfare, Ministry of Civil Affairs
Ms. Dora Giusti, Chief of Child Protection at the UNICEF China Office;Ms. Kirsten Di Martino, Senior Adviser Child Protection and Migration, UNICEF Global Programme Division, Centre of Excellence Bangkok;Comrade Wang Jianfu,Sceretary of thePartyCommittee, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University;Professor Wu Yuxiao, Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University; and Professor Fan Bin, Vice President of the China Social Work Academy, and Professor at theSchool of Social and Public Administrationat East China University of Science and Technology, attended the opening ceremony.
At the main forum, 19 senior scholars in child protection from China, the United Kingdom, Finland, Georgia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries and regions delivered keynote speeches. The experts engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics including child protection system building, social service workforce development, the practical pathways of the "investing in people" concept, the development of child protection service standards, mandatory reporting systems, case management methods, and children's mental health and crisis intervention. The content of the presentations offered both macro-level comparative analysis of policies and institutional designs, as well as specific frontline practice models and intervention techniques, fully showcasing the latest research findings and international practical experience in the field of child protection social work, providing participants with broad academic perspectives and rich practical references.
The conference set up six sub-forums, with over 80 speakers engaging in in-depth discussions on six major themes: the construction of child protection social work service systems, case management methods, discipline development and talent cultivation, grassroots best practices, children's mental health and crisis intervention, and the functional roles of professional teams. Scholars from domestic and international universities, together with representatives from frontline practice organizations, engaged in thorough exchanges and lively debates on specific topics including cross-national comparisons of mandatory reporting systems, county-level protection system development, social integration of migrant children, intervention for adolescent emotional disorders, and ethical practice in medical social work, generating a set of constructive recommendations.
Through in-depth exchanges, the participating experts further clarified that accelerating the high-quality development of social work services in child protection requires a deep understanding of the new situation and demands. Professional practice must be rooted in grassroots social governance and services for key child populations, pushing services from traditional casework toward strengthening family functioning, building multi-dimensional protection networks, and iterating systemic functions. Child protection social work in the new era must adhere to the "children first" principle, leveraging its professional strengths in caring for children in difficult circumstances and safeguarding minors' rights, while also serving as an important pillar for improving the child welfare system. Social workers need to continuously enhance their capacities in policy analysis, resource integration, and multi-sectoral coordination, draw on international experience, explore local service models suited to China's context, and demonstrate professional contributions in system building, network improvement, and talent cultivation.
The outcomes of this conference will be disseminated through publications in professional social work journals and through policy recommendation reports, providing important academic references and practical guidance for the formulation of service standards, innovation in service models, and the development of the workforce in child protection social work in China. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University will continue to provide a high-level platform for exchange for experts, scholars, and practitioners in child protection from both domestic and international arenas, further deepen theoretical research and talent cultivation in the field, and join hands with all partners to promote the high-quality development of China's child protection enterprise and contribute Chinese wisdom and experience to the global cause of child protection.
