According to the website of the Ministry of Welfare, of the more than two million children and youth living in Israel, 330,000 are described as at-risk children facing threatening situations; recent epidemiological survey (Lev-Wiesel et al. 2016) that focused on violence against children and youth, reported that more than 18% experienced sexual abuse, 18% experienced physical abuse, and more than 10% suffered from physical neglect. The stressful situations children experience include poverty and financial difficulties, illness or loss of a parent, educational difficulties and special needs, immigration, maltreatment and inadequate parental caregiving. These prevent children from experiencing the security and protection that are children’s basic rights. Consequently, they develop problems in the social, emotional and academic domains, as well as drop out of normative systems and become delinquent.
 A variety of therapeutic provision is crucially needed to prevent further deterioration and promote their healthy development and productive functioning.  The Child and Adolescent-at-Risk Laboratory for the Development of Assessment, Measurement and Treatment Tools was established to do just that.  The laboratory is an applied research laboratory which collaborates closely with policy and field practitioners to examine the issues and questions facing them in their challenges to help high-risk children and youth.  This collaboration generates practical and effective interventions and assessments.
The laboratory is assisted by a steering committee that includes representatives of government ministries (welfare, education and health), experts from the third sector, and academic researchers.
Practitioners who wish to develop certain diagnostic or assessment tools, validate treatment or interventions,  or propose a research question relevant to the field, are invited to contact Dr. Limor Goldner or Prof. Rachel Lev-Wiesel.