Save the Date!  Join us in New Orleans, LA May 26-29, 2026 at FSWA’s Annual Conference! The Conference will be held in person only in New Orleans, LA. Earn up to 20 social work continuing education credits.  Proposals for workshops and posters are now being accepted.  Registration will be available soon.  

​

Call for Proposals – 33rd APSAC Colloquium

Theme: Connecting. Solving. Bridging. 
June 14–18, 2026 | Sheraton New Orleans

For over three decades, the APSAC Colloquium has been a cornerstone for professionals and researchers working to prevent and respond to child maltreatment. Now in its 33rd year, this go-to conference continues to bring together the field’s most respected voices and emerging innovators for a one-of-a-kind learning and networking experience.

 

The 33rd APSAC Colloquium brings together professionals, researchers, and advocates who believe that real progress happens when we connect across disciplines, solve with shared purpose, and bridge gaps in systems, communities, and understanding. Set in vibrant New Orleans, where collaboration and culture meet, this year’s gathering invites voices to come together -where various voices harmonize like jazz, creating bold, lasting solutions for children and families.

 

For the third year in a row, the Colloquium returns to New Orleans—a city where scholarship meets soul. Attendees don’t just come for the sessions—they return for the connection, culture, and community. Past participants have paraded in second lines, joined jazz-infused bar crawls, and built meaningful collaborations over beignets and bold ideas.

APSAC—the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children—invites researchers, skilled trainers, and passionate professionals to submit proposals for the 2026 Colloquium. This in-person event offers high-impact, cross-disciplinary learning and showcases best practices, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions to end child maltreatment.

Sessions should engage participants through content designed to support continued learning at every level—beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

APSAC particularly encourages proposals focused on:

 

APSAC invites submissions on all aspects of solving child maltreatment and is particularly interested in proposals on trauma-informed best practices and trends related to:

• Child Physical Abuse
  Solving Complex Cases of Abusive Head Trauma, Medical Child Abuse, and Torture

• Psychological Maltreatment
  Connecting Impacts: Spurning, Terrorizing, and Digital Abuse in Focus

• Child Sexual Abuse
  Bridging Understanding Around Problematic Sexual Behaviors, Exploitation, and Trafficking

• Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Child Welfare
  Creating Harmony Across Systems to Support Families and Children

• Online Crimes Against Children
  Solving Emerging Threats: Social Media, Artificial Intelligence, and Child Protection

• Substance Use and Abuse
  Bridging the Gaps: Cannabis, Opioids, Fentanyl, and Family Well-being

• Forensic Interviewing
  Refining the Art: Basic to Advanced Practices in a Harmonized Approach

• Evidence-Based Interventions for Trauma Treatment and Recovery
  Connecting Evidence to Healing: Solutions for Trauma Recovery

• Addressing Prevalent and Key Risk Factors
  Solving Root Causes: Including Corporal Punishment

• Groundbreaking Research and Trends
  Bridging Data to Practice: New Discoveries Driving Solutions

• Innovative Child Maltreatment Prevention Approaches
  Jazzed About Prevention: Fresh Perspectives, Bold Ideas

• Community Trauma-Resilience Awareness
  Building Bridges of Healing Through Connection and Awareness

• Best Practices in Child Abuse Investigations and Prosecution
  Harmonizing Disciplines for Justice and Child Safety

• Mandated Reporting and Supporting
  Solving the Challenge: Training, Impact, and Professional Support

• Inspiring Solutions
  Bridging Burnout and Breaking Barriers in Child Protection Work

 

Submission Categories:

• Training Seminars (60/90 minutes, half-day, or full-day)

• Practice-focused sessions for developing evidence-based skills.

• Research Presentations (30 minutes)
  Oral presentations of original or recently published research.

• Poster Presentations

• Interactive displays of research, programs, or policy innovation.

• Roundtable Discussions (45 minutes, held during the lunch hour)
  Facilitated, small-group discussions on emerging or challenging topics.

All proposals must include clearly written learning objectives, with at least one addressing cultural diversity. [Use this link for guidance on writing objectives.]

Important Dates:

• Submission Deadline: September 20, 2025

• Acceptance Notifications: December 2025

• Presenter Registration Deadline: February 1, 2026

Presenters must confirm participation within two weeks of acceptance. Sessions without registered presenters by the deadline may be reassigned. Presenters may not be substituted or removed without prior approval. Discounted registration will be offered to all accepted presenters.

For assistance, contact apsaccolloquium@apsac.org