This special issue of Australian Social Work explores “Children and the law: Contemporary approaches to children and vulnerability”, canvassing such issues as the protection of children under the law, child welfare and family law, and the vulnerability of specific groups of children. The issue examines the intersection between child welfare and the law in policy agendas, and the effectiveness of systems designed to respond to children’s vulnerability, as well as their rights.

The rapid growth of the reach of child protection services and the need for legal interventions challenges policymakers, professionals, and governments. While there has been recent attention paid to responding to specific groups of children, negligible attention has been paid, for example, to children in the justice system, the exploitation of children, and gaps in child advocacy. There is still much more research required about the intersection of the law with children’s lives and the breadth of concerns associated with this, ranging from education, health services, and recreation, to the media.