Dr Lauren Lines (RN, BNhons, MN, PhD) is an Associate Lecturer in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University. Lauren has a background as a paediatric nurse, working for almost 10 years in paediatric acute medical and surgical environments. In her current role, Lauren teaches undergraduate nursing and postgraduate specialist paediatric nursing. Lauren’s PhD thesis (2020) focussed on nurses' experiences of responding to child abuse and neglect in child focussed settings in Australia.

In her post-PhD research, Lauren is working on the 'Safeguarding Project'. The Safeguarding Project explores the nature and scope of Australian nursing and midwifery roles in a public health approach to protecting children from abuse & neglect. Stage one (in progress) is reviewing Australian policies and frameworks about child health & wellbeing and child protection to identify how safeguarding is defined and enacted in Australia, especially as it relates to nurses and midwives. Stage one will guide nurses' and midwives' safeguarding practices, and inform Stage two of the project. Stage two is a Delphi-study exploring the nature and scope of nursing and midwifery safeguarding practices across all child focussed settings in Australia. The findings will inform the development of professional safeguarding standards that articulate nurses' and midwives roles, guide operational planning, facilitate interdisciplinary communication and ultimately promote better outcomes for vulnerable children in Australia.