 |
Unit.E.5.3.
Child Abuse/ Neglect
Australia |
focus
points
|
 |
Insert forensic focus points here
Canada |
focus
points
|
|
Insert forensic focus points here
International |
focus
points
|
|
Insert forensic focus points here
United Kingdom |
focus
points
|
|
| "Changes
in the crimino-legal process during the last few years
have blurred the boundaries between criminal justice
and children's welfare in child protection. These developments
have, however, received relatively little critical attention
within contemporary discourses surrounding child protection.
This paper draws upon primary and secondary research
findings to explore the appropriateness and effectiveness
of current forensically led responses to child abuse.
In particular, it questions the adequacy of existing
operational constructs of justice in child protection,
arguing the case for a far more comprehensive notion
of 'justice for children' than presently prevails. Research
evidence is reviewed suggesting that current crimino-legally
driven practices fail to achieve even the limited objectives
of criminal justice, let alone the higher goals of promoting
children's welfare or attaining 'justice for children'.
Finally the paper explores how these findings may inform
and be informed by current debates and practice in social
work. While a range of policy and practice remedies
are suggested, these, it is argued, must be framed with
recognition of the tensions and dilemmas underlying
social work in a complex and uncertain social world"
(Sharland, 1999). |
United States |
focus
points
|
|
| Congress
passed the Child Abuse and Treatment Act (1974) which
provided financial assistance to states that met the
federal standards against child abuse (Applebaum, 1999)
Despite
the Child Abuse and Treatment Act, which was passed
in 1974 by congress, standards still vary from state
to state. In some states it is sufficient to have
reasonable cause for child abuse but in others the
abuse child must actually be seen, in order to report
it (Applebaum, 1999).
Physicians
have been involved in the diagnosis and treatment
of victims of child abuse and neglect for more than
35 years. In the past decade, a cadre of physicians
has developed extensive expertise in the field. Now,
physicians are requested for expert consultation by
medical, investigative, and legal colleagues. As the
field advances, it has become necessary to train more
physicians in the field of child abuse and forensic
pediatrics as well as to standardize the curricula
of the existing fellowships. A joint working group
of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Child
Abuse and Neglect and the Forensic Pediatrics Physician
Leadership Group convened to develop a curriculum
for medical fellowships in child abuse and neglect.
The authors present the model curriculum developed
by this group (Starling, Sirotnak, & Jenny, (2002).
|
Focus Points
Reference
| Applebaum,
P. (1999). Child abuse reporting laws: |
Time
for reform? Psychiatric Services, 50(1), 27-29.
|
| Sharland,
E. (1999). Justice for children? Child |
protection
and the crimino-legal process. Child & Family
Social Work, 4(4), 303-313. Retrieved December
26, 2002, from Academic Search Premier: http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=5302094&db=ap
|
| Starling,
S. P., Sirotnak, A. P. & Jenny, C. (2002). |
Child
abuse and forensic pediatric medicine fellowship
curriculum statement. Child Maltreatment, 5(1),
58-62. Retrieved December 26, 2002, from Academic
Search Premier: http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=2746925&db=aph
|
Top
of Page
|
 |
Topic
E - Forensic (ER) Emergency > Section E.5.0. Forensic Populations
(at Risk) (Living Forensic)> Unit.E.5.3. Child Abuse/ Neglect
