Child protection Flashcards
Child protection
activity undertaken to protect specific children
who are suffering, or are at risk of suffering,
significant harm
Safeguarding children
Measures taken to minimise risks of harm to children
-protecting children from maltreatment
-preventing impairment of children’s health/ development
Ensuring that children are growing up in a safe and caring environment
Children’s rights - the law - article 19
Children should be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation
Children’s rights - the law - article 24
Children have a right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health
Children’s wants
Not to do dangerous work To have water To play To be looked after To not be hurt by other people To have friends To go to school To follow any religion you choose
Children’s needs - assessment framework
Child’s developmental needs
Parenting capacity
Family and environmental factors
Government guidance: emphasis on
Preventing abuse and neglect
Improving multi-agency working
Encouraging early intervention
GDC Standards
You must find out about local procedures for the
protection of children and
vulnerable adults. You must follow these procedures if
you suspect that a child […] might be at risk because of
abuse or neglect
Good practice guidance (5 points)
- Responsibility
- Recognising
- Responding
- Reorganising
- Resources
Dentists are well placed to recognise signs
Skilled at examining head and neck and
recording findings
Head and neck is frequently site of injury in physical abuse
Untreated dental decay may be a sign of neglect
Children often attend the dentist regularly
Often treat more than one family member
Prevalence by age
Total = 43,140 Unborn = 2% <1 = 11.3% 1-4 = 30.3% 5-9 = 28.7% 10-15 = 25.2% >15 = 2.6%
Prevalence by type
Neglect - 41% Emotional abuse - 31.7% Physical abuse - 11.7% Multiple - 10.8% Sexual abuse - 4.8%
Definition of physical abuse
May involve hitting,
shaking, throwing,
poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning,
suffocation or otherwise
causing physical harm to a child
Also includes fabricated and induced illness
How to recognise physical abuse
Bruising, abrasions, lacerations, burns, bite marks, eye injuries, bone #s, intra-oral injuries
Site, size, patterns
Delay in presentation
Does not fir the explanation given
Accidental vs abuse: accidental head injuries
Head injuries tend to involve parietal bone, occiput or forehead
Nose
Chin
Accidental vs abuse: accidental rest of body injuries
Palm of hand
Elbows
Knees
Shins
Accidental injuries: remember that they typically
Involve bony prominences
Match the history
Are in keeping with development of the child
Accidental vs abuse: abusive head injuries
Ears - especially pinch marks involving both sides of ear
“Triangle of safety” (ears, side of face, and neck, top of shoulders)
Black eyes, especially if bilateral
Soft tissues of cheeks
Intra-oral injuries
