Are over-protective parents depriving their children from developing the skills to cope with life and what happens when children don't get to experience risk?

These and many more questions about child development will be explored in a discussion forum on Childhood and Risk at Charles Sturt University's Centre for Cultural Risk Research (CCRR) on the Bathurst Campus, Tuesday 16 November.

The focus of the day is to bring researchers, social workers, teachers, psychologists and others together, to discuss ideas for ongoing projects in child development and support.

Teacher and researcher Jenny Grantley will ask if parents and carers are denying children critical self-development opportunities by being too protective?

"Are misguided care and protection, that deprive children of managing risk, driving young adults to take risks that may lead to potentially disastrous situations?"

The idea of Childhood as Risk, and its historical context will be explored by CSU sociologist and historian Dr Leonora Ritter.

"Childhood cannot be separated from risk because childhood is risk…what is good practice in one age or culture may be derided as risking the elements of a child's well-being in another."

Sexual aggressions in children, assessing the perfect recipe for good citizens, managing child abuse and the ethics of research with children are other topics included in the program.

CCRR deputy director Dr Jane Selby said the aim of the forum is to develop and initiate the Centre's focus on children. "The day is really an experiment in that the focus will not be on the presentation and discussion of individual papers, but how we can all work together, University and community to pool our knowledge and provide something like an advocacy or support group for the local area."

International speakers Dr John Morss from New Zealand and Professor Sue Scott from the United Kingdom, who are both visiting research fellows at CSU, will also take part in the day.