Children with Offending Behaviour: Effective Actions and Advocacy (2025) (On Demand)

Ian is Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, where he teaches clinical, forensic, child and adolescent psychology. His specialist clinical and research interests are in child and adolescent mental health, childhood trauma and youth justice, building on more than 30 years’ experience working with children and adolescents and their families. 

Initially as a general and psychiatric nurse, then as a specialist clinical psychologist, he has worked with children and adolescents with severe conduct problems and trauma, in both family and criminal-justice settings, and was involved for 15 years in programmes for adolescents with harmful sexual behaviour and children who deliberately light fires. 

His academic position is an opportunity to build robust, applicable knowledge in these areas, including in training new forensic and clinical psychologists, and advising Fire & Emergency on child firelighters and Oranga Tamariki on child offenders. 

Ian continues to practice part-time as a clinical psychologist. He has received numerous awards for his work in this field, and in 2018 was made an Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society for his services to Psychology. 

Ian is New Zealand’s Chief Science Advisor to the Justice Sector (Ministry of Justice, Police and Department of Corrections). In 2020, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Clinical Psychology and Youth Justice.

Catherine was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022. She has been a Lawyer for Child since 1991 and a Youth Advocate since 2004. She was appointed to the Crown Prosecutions Panel, and undertakes both private and legal aid Criminal trial work at PAL 1 – 4. Catherine is a past director, deputy director and instructor for the NZLS Litigation Skills Course.

Judge King was appointed a District Court Judge with a Family Court warrant in 2019. Her Honour is a resident judge at Whangarei DC which includes the Northland circuit (Kaitaia and Kaikohe). Shortly after her appointment, Judge King was designated a Youth Court judge. This has enabled the extension of the Crossover Court to both Whangarei and Kaikohe. Judge King has a particular interest in solution-focused judging and has overseen the establishment of a specialised care and protection list in the Whangarei Family Court. 

Judge King is a founding partner of King Alofivae Malosi, the first Māori and Pacific law firm established in 1994, which has since produced six sitting District Court judges.

Vanessa has been practising law for over 20 years, starting out as a solicitor for Oranga Tamariki, before becoming a barrister. Vanessa has a general family law practice but predominately specialises in advocating for children in the Family Court and young people in the Youth Court, in South Auckland.