Childhood maltreatment is the world’s costliest and least discussed public health problem. It is perhaps the principal preventable cause of mental illness, addiction, criminality and violence and a major risk factor for worse life outcomes in health, education and human relationships. At a conservative estimate, violence against children costs 8% of Global GDP, though probably much more.

We are the first generation in history to know the causes and the costs of child trauma, but also to have clear solutions that are scale-able for a fraction of the cost of inaction. In the 1980s The Child Survival Revolution increased global vaccine coverage from 15% to 80% of the world’s children which, along with other focussed interventions led to a 61% reduction in child mortality. Millions of children live each year, who otherwise wouldn’t. Has the time come for a Child Development/Protection Revolution to eradicate child maltreatment. How we can generate more attention and belief that change is possible and what should be the priority interventions to take to scale?