Child Safeguarding Flashcards
How would you define the term ‘child protection’?
Activity undertaken in order to protect specific children who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm
Who are children in need?
Those who require additional support or services to achieve their full potential
What are the elements of child abuse?
- Significant harm to child
- Carer has some responsibility for that harm
- There is a significant connection between carer’s responsibility for the child and the harm to the child
What adult factors can contribute to child abuse?
- drugs
- alcohol
- unemployment
- mental illness
- domestic violence
- abuse as a child
- poverty
What are the categories of child abuse?
- physical
- emotional
- neglect
- sexual
how many children in the uk die as a result of child abuse each week?
1-2
What are the effects of child neglect?
- failure to thrive/short stature
- inappropriate clothing (can lead to cold injury or sunburn)
- ingrained dirt
- withdrawn or attention seeking behaviour
What is the definition of dental neglect?
wilful failure of a parent or guardian to seek and follow through with treatment necessary to ensure a level of oral health essential for adequate function and freedom from pain and infection
OR
Persistent failure to meet a child’s basic oral health needs
what are examples of ‘wilful neglect’ in regards to dentistry?
After dental problems have been pointed out:
- irregular attendance
- repeated failed attendance and/or late cancellations
- failure to complete treatments
- returning in pain in repeated intervals
- repeated GA for extractions
What are indicators of dental neglect?
- obvious dental disease
- practical care being offered, however child has not returned for treatment
What are indicators of dental neglect?
- obvious dental disease
- practical care being offered, however child has not returned for treatment
what are the 3 stages of managing dental neglect?
- preventative dental team management
- preventative multi-agency management
- child protection referral
What does preventative dental team management entail?
- Raising concerns with patients
- offering support
- keeping records and monitoring progress
What is preventative multi-agency management?
- leasing with other professionals e.g. GP, health visitors, school nurse to see if concerns are shared
- check if child is subject to a child protection plan
- agree a joint plan of action, with review at agreed intervals
- letter to health visitor of children under 5 who fail appointments or fail to respond to letter from dental practice
What is meant by a child protection referral?
referral to social services in complex or deteriorating circumstances
How would you, as a dental professional, go about making a child protection referral?
by contacting social services by telephone, following up in writing
When did Scotland make it illegal to physically punish a child?
November 2020
what are some extra oral signs of physical abuse?
- facial bruising
- bruising of ears
- abrasions and lacerations
- burns and bites
- choke marks on neck
- eye injuries
- pulled hair
- fractures of the nose, mandible or zygoma
What are the intra-oral signs of physical abuse?
- tooth trauma
- bruises
- abrasions and lacerations
- burns
- frenal injuries
What are some things to consider regarding suspected cases of physical abuse?
- child’s general demeanour
- nature of relationship between child and guardian
- child’s reactions to other people
- any comments from child and/or guardian about child’s upbringing and lifestyle
What are some things to consider regarding suspected cases of physical abuse?
- child’s general demeanour
- nature of relationship between child and guardian
- child’s reactions to other people
- any comments from child and/or guardian about child’s upbringing and lifestyle
What is expected of the dental team in suspected abuse cases?
- observe
- record
- communicate
- referral for assessment
TRUE or FALSE: the dental team are expected to diagnose suspected cases of child abuse
FALSE
What happens if a child is deemed to be in immediate danger following a referral?
- Child protection order
- exclusion order
- child assessment order
- removal by police
