About
Our children’s future and the world’s future are one.
- Dr. C. Henry Kempe Founder | Nobel Prize Nominee
Our Story
Founded in 1972 by C. Henry Kempe, MD, the Kempe Center was the first of its kind, providing research, training, education, and innovative program development to prevent and treat all forms of child abuse, neglect, and trauma.
In 2022, we celebrated our 50th anniversary. We continue our work in advocating for children and youth’s rights, their health and well-being by strengthening families and supporting communities worldwide.
The Center continues to be one of the longest-running academic center to lead the field in providing evidence-informed services, transformative research, learner-centered education, and effective advocacy, all through an equity lens. For a description of Kempe’s work and programs, please visit our Impact Areas.
50TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO
Non-Discrimination & Civil Rights
The Kempe Center prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, disability, and other protected status in its programs and activities, consistent with federal and state law (including Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and Section 1557 where applicable).
Equity’ at Kempe means removing avoidable barriers (e.g., cost, language, geography, disability, class, nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion) so that similarly situated individuals can access the same evidence-based services. Equity does not involve preferential or adverse treatment based on protected characteristics.
Our Vision
is a world without child maltreatment.
Our Mission
Through an equity lens, we address child maltreatment by improving the well-being of children and families, strengthening their communities, and enhancing the systems serving them through evidence-informed services, transformative research, learner-centered education, and effective advocacy.
Our Values
- Service Excellence: We integrate service excellence in all our work because when people recognize the human potential in all of us regardless of identity, we create a better world for children and families.
- Accountability: Nurtures mutual respect among the team members of the Center contributing to a cohesive and supportive environment.
- Integrity: We strive to be respectfully truthful in our communications, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable.
- Courage: We must take bold actions, face challenges head on and foster a culture of transparency and integrity.
- Meaningful: We are a mechanism for change to advance the well-being of children and families. Innovation: We engage in learning opportunities to develop new understandings, and skills, and apply them in ways that advance our mission.
A section of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, The Kempe Center has built a reputation as a world leader in child protection by:
- Evaluating and diagnosing children who are suspected victims of abuse and neglect.
- Providing treatment and therapy for abused and neglected children and their families.
- Developing and testing new programs to help children.
- Training professionals such as doctors, teachers and social workers to protect and heal abused children and support good parenting skills.
- Conducting studies that assist in program development and public policy making.
The Multidisciplinary Approach
The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect has long embraced a multidisciplinary approach, combining the efforts of multiple disciplines (medicine, psychology, sociology, law, social work, education, systems science, research, policy) in one setting focusing on the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Through the intersection between these disciplines, we have been able to develop integrated knowledge and translate knowledge into practice. We are committed to delivering the highest quality state of the art trauma-informed clinical care and expanding capacity for equity-informed community-based services throughout our region and beyond. Our researchers design, study, and disseminate best practices. We utilize innovative techniques to ensure effective transfer of knowledge to a wide range of learners. And we strive to ensure that knowledge transforms policy and the field.
Through interdisciplinary research, as defined by the National Academies of Sciences, our experts have strived to integrate information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and theories from multiple disciplines to advance fundamental understanding of the complexities of child maltreatment with the goal of developing transformational practices and interventions. In our next 50 years, we aspire to cross disciplinary and sectoral boundaries to create new paradigms and integrate knowledge between disciplines and society through laser focus on our vision of a world without abuse and neglect.
Careers & Internships
Want to join a passionate team dedicated to supporting children, youth, and families? The Kempe Center is seeking experts to help implement vital programs, policies, and initiatives to meet the needs of the individuals and communities we serve.
Student Internship Program
The Kempe Center is a section of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Following the seminal work of Dr. C. Henry Kempe, the Center has built a reputation as a world leader in the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Center activities include developing and testing new prevention and treatment programs, overseeing the implementation of established evidence-based programs, evaluating and diagnosing children who are suspected victims of abuse and neglect, training child welfare/protection and educational professionals, and conducting studies that inform program development and public policy.
The Student Internship Program is an experiential learning and career development training opportunity designed to support the professional and academic growth of undergraduate or post-baccalaureate interns. It can be conducted in person, remotely, or as a hybrid experience. We expect applicants to be enrolled in an educational program at the time of their internship.
The internship program aims to achieve the following goals within the context of child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment:
- Equip interns with foundational skills and knowledge to contribute meaningfully to the field of child maltreatment, abuse and neglect.
- Foster professional relationships with researchers, educators and/or clinicians in the child maltreatment field, both within and beyond the Kempe Center, supporting network-building and long-term career development.
- Meet the interns’ requirements for a successful internship at the Kempe Center.
Interns will assist and collaborate on active projects and programs at the Center, engage in scholarly and educational activities, and immerse themselves in the life of the Kempe Center.
Eligibility
This internship is open to individuals enrolled in educational programs while seeking to fulfill requirements of the program and immerse themselves in child welfare, child abuse and neglect and maltreatment.
To ensure a successful and enriching experience, both Kempe mentors and interns are expected to adhere to clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
The Mentor:
- Supports the intern’s learning objectives as defined in a Learning Agreement
- Facilitates access to resources and professional connections that help the intern achieve their internship goals
- Immerses the intern in the work of the program and Center so they may both learn and contribute to programs and Center progress
The Intern:
- Works to achieve the goals outlined in their Learning Agreement
- Completes a final reflection paper on the experience and their learnings
Mentorship Guidelines:
- Regular check-ins between mentor and intern, scheduled in advance
- Clear communication of goals, tasks, and expectations
- A commitment to a professional, confidential, and transparent mentor-intern relationship
Internships typically are customized to the interns’ professional and program needs. They will also include an orientation and introduction to Kempe’s mission, vision and values.
Each intern will be paired with a primary mentor or supervisor and will participate in regular check-ins to review progress toward their Individual Learning Agreement.
Are interns paid for their time?
It depends. Some Kempe programs may have resources to pay interns a stipend. Some educational programs may offer stipend support to the intern. Some interns prefer to volunteer their time and receive credit or other forms of “compensation” for their internship. We will support interns’ needs in seeking external stipends for their learning experience.
How long does an internship last?
That depends on you and your program needs. We can discuss special circumstances and needs of potential interns with mentors/supervisors. We understand that timeframes vary depending on a number of factors.
What makes this an internship?
This program is intended for learners in educational programs at the baccalaureate or graduate levels who want to learn all they can at the Kempe Center to advance their knowledge of the field and career opportunities. This is not a program for externs, fellows, or pre- or post-doctoral students.
I am an international student, may I apply?
In general, we do not have the resources to support an international student for this internship. We recommend international students apply for a Fulbright or other forms of scholarships that support international students.
If you are interested in internship opportunities at Kempe, please fill out the Intern Inquiry form here. (link is: http://tiny.cc/kempeintern)