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Safeguarding essentials in modern-day paediatrics: inflicted injuries, body maps and section 47 investigations
  1. Helen Thomas1,
  2. Daniel Cromb2,
  3. Anastasia Alcock1,
  4. Hannah Jacob3
  1. 1 Paediatric Emergency Department, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK
  2. 2 Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, UK
  3. 3 Department of Paediatrics, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Daniel Cromb, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, London, WC2B 4BG, UK; daniel.cromb{at}kcl.ac.uk

Abstract

The second case in the Safeguarding Essentials in Modern-day Paediatrics series, this article focuses on inflicted injuries, body maps and child protection investigations (CPIs). Using the scenario of a 6-year-old presenting to the emergency department having ‘fallen off a swing’, this article focuses on key considerations for history taking and examination in cases where you suspect injuries may have been inflicted, and how to discuss raising these suspicions with the family, as well as the importance of accurate body map completion. Also covered are CPIs, giving consideration to the legal framework surrounding these, and relevant useful resources and guidance are provided for dealing with the challenging circumstances that arise when physical abuse is first suspected.

  • Child Abuse
  • Child Protective Services
  • Child Welfare
  • Infant Welfare
  • Paediatric Emergency Medicine

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2023-326109

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @dancromb, @HannahCJacob

    • Contributors DC and HT conceived of the article. HT wrote the first draft. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript, and all have seen and agree with the final version.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.