Citation

Sibert JR, Maguire SA, Kemp AM. Arch. Dis. Child. 2007; 92(2): 107-108.

Affiliation

Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN. kempam@cardiff.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/adc.2006.110627

PMID

17264284

PMCID

PMC2083302

Abstract

Twenty years ago, child abuse was seen and managed in the general paediatric ward, often used as a "place of safety" while complex clinical and social issues were dealt with. Paediatricians and the Children Act 1989 recognised that hospitalisation was inappropriate for most child protection cases, and as paediatrics became a field of subspecialties, child protection became the domain of community paediatricians. This has to some extent led to a deskilling of general paediatricians who have lost confidence in the field, further compounded by recent high-profile legal cases.

Language: en