The following two papers presented at the Fifth Child and Family Policy Conference relate to family violence. Terry Dobbs and Beth Woods, authors of "The Missing Voice: What are Children's Views of Physical Discipline?" present a debate about s59 of the Crimes Act (1961). The paper discusses research involving ten 5- to 7-year-old New Zealand children's views of physical discipline. The views of children in the United Kingdom are also discussed. The study's participants are reported to believe that physical discipline is wrong, ineffective, physically and emotionally harmful, and can confuse children about violence. Participants also felt that physical discipline limits the ability to use alternatives in conflict resolution and is detrimental to child-parent relationships. This paper also examines the Government's announcement in May 2003 to financially commit to a four year public education campaign around physical punishment. Roger Jack's paper, "Purposeful Partnerships: Collaboration as a Means Not an End in Securing Safety for Children" explores the need for collaboration between services and client users. Examples are used from within care and protection work where strengths-based approaches are employed. The premises of the paper are as follows: purposeful partnerships between workers and clients are possible; collaboration is when clients' voices are adequately and appropriately included in the partnership; and worker accountability to service users and colleagues is central to service provision. The strengths-based approach to practice and how this approach is beneficial to working with clients is a central focus of the paper. The author concludes that a strengths-perspective approach provides workers with the chance to develop collaborative relationships with the purpose of goals achievement. Link provides more information about the conference proceedings published by the University of Otago.

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