References

Akehurst R Child neglect identification: The health visitor's role. Community Pract. 2015; 88:(11)38-42

Ammerman RT, Putnam FW, Teeters AR, Van Ginkel JB Moving Beyond Depression: A collaborative approach to treating depressed mothers in home visiting programs. Zero to Three. 2014; 34:(5)20-27

Appleton JV Safeguarding and protecting children: where is health visiting now?. Community Pract. 2011; 84:(11)21-5

Appleton JV, Sidebotham P The Child at the Centre of Care. Child Abuse Review. 2015; 24:77-81

Avdibegović E, Brkić M Child Neglect - Causes and Consequences. Psychiatr Danub. 2020; 32:337-342

Azizi M, Shahhosseini Z Challenges of reporting child abuse by healthcare professionals: A narrative review. J Nurs Midwifery Sci. 2017; 4:(3)110-116

Bartlett JD, Kotake C, Fauth R, Easterbrooks MA Intergenerational transmission of child abuse and neglect: Do maltreatment type, perpetrator, and substantiation status matter?. Child Abuse Negl. 2017; 63:84-94 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.11.021

Ben Natan M, Faour C, Naamhah S, Grinberg K, Klein-Kremer A Factors affecting medical and nursing staff reporting of child abuse. Int Nurs Rev. 2012; 59:(3)331-7 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2012.00988.x

Missed opportunities: indicators of neglect – what is ignored, why, and what can be done?. https://tinyurl.com/37uemw4u (accessed 13 August 2024)

The oversight and review of cases in the light of changing circumstances and new information: how do people respond to new (and challenging) information?. 2009. https://childprotectionnorthayrshire.info/cpc/download/?file=575 (accessed 13 August 2024)

Busch IM, Moretti F, Campagna I, Benoni R, Tardivo S, Wu AW, Rimondini M Promoting the Psychological Well-Being of Healthcare Providers Facing the Burden of Adverse Events: A Systematic Review of Second Victim Support Resources. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18:(10) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105080

Glasgow Child Protection. Keeping Children & Young People Safe. 2024. https://www.glasgowchildprotection.org.uk/article/8459/Keeping-Children-Young-People-Safe (accessed 13 August 2024)

Coles E, Cheyne H, Rankin J, Daniel B Getting It Right for Every Child: A National Policy Framework to Promote Children's Well-being in Scotland, United Kingdom. Milbank Q. 2016; 94:(2)334-65 https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12195

Corey G, Haynes R, Moulton P, Muratori M Clinical Supervision in the helping professions: a practical guide, 3rd edition. : Wiley & Sons; 2020

Desai C, Reece JA, Shakespeare-Pellington S The prevention of violence in childhood through parenting programmes: a global review. Psychol Health Med. 2017; 22:166-186 https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2016.1271952

Survey shows half of Health visitors in England intend to quit. 2023. https://tinyurl.com/25jrmxsx (accessed 13 August 2024)

Donelan-McCall N, Eckenrode J, Olds DL Home visiting for the prevention of child maltreatment: lessons learned during the past 20 years. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2009; 56:(2)389-403 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2009.01.002

Health Improvement Scotland. A guide to Getting it right for every child. 2012. https://ihub.scot/media/1512/a-guide-to-getting-it-right-for-every-child.pdf (accessed 13 August 2024)

Herendeen PA, Blevins R, Anson E, Smith J Barriers to and consequences of mandated reporting of child abuse by nurse practitioners. J Pediatr Health Care. 2014; 28:(1)e1-7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2013.06.004

Heron G, Black K The Role of Uncertainty in Professionals' Thinking about Children Who Harm Other People. British Journal of Social Work. 2023; 53:(5)2922-2939

Hood R, Price J, Sartori D, Maisey D, Johnson J, Clark Z Collaborating across the threshold: The development of interprofessional expertise in child safeguarding. J Interprof Care. 2017; 31:(6)705-713 https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2017.1329199

Hood R, Gillespie J, Davies J A conceptual review of interprofessional expertise in child safeguarding. J Interprof Care. 2016; 30:(4)493-8 https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2016.1173656

State of Health Visiting, UK survey report.London: iHV; 2024

Jarrett P, Barlow J Clinical supervision in the provision of intensive home visiting by health visitors. Community Pract. 2014; 87:(2)32-6

Kim H To Prevent Child Maltreatment, Home Visiting Programs Are One Part of a Complete Response. Am J Public Health. 2019; 109:(5)653-655 https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305043

The Victoria Climbe Inquiry-Report Of An Inquiry - CAIPE. 2003. https://tinyurl.com/32pnh98 (accessed 13 August 2024)

Little M, Baker T, Jinks A M A Qualitative Evaluation of Community Nurses' Experiences of Child Safeguarding Supervision. Child Abuse Review. 2017; 27:(12)150-157

McNicoll A Baby P: Social work's story. Community Care. 2017; 12:(8)17-21

Naughton A, Perkins L, McMinn B, Kemp A Using an observation tool (Parent-Infant Interaction Observation Scale) to assess parent-infant interaction in the first 2 weeks of life: A feasibility study. Child Care Health Dev. 2018; 45:(2)271-285 https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12637

NSPCC. Disguised Compliance: Learning from case reviews. 2019. https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/learning-from-case-reviews/disguised-compliance (accessed 13 August 2024)

NSPCC. A summary of the Care Inspectorate's triennial review of initial case reviews and significant case reviews in Scotland: CASPAR briefing. 2021. https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2021/care-inspectorate-triennial-review-case-reviews-in-scotland-caspar-briefing (accessed 13 August 2024)

NSPCC. Statistics Briefing: Neglect. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/bd5xbya5 (accessed 13 August 2024)

Peckover S, Appleton J Health visiting and safeguarding children: a perfect storm?. J Health Visit. 2019; 7:(5)232-238

Raman S, Holdgate A, Torrens R Are our frontline clinicians equipped with the ability and confidence to address child abuse and neglect?. Child Abuse Rev. 2012; 21:(1)114-130

Reder P, Duncan S, Gray M Beyond Blame, 1st edn. London: Routledge; 1993

Identifying and responding to child abuse and neglect. 2020. https://www.rdhmag.com/resources/contact/14167580/sakher-alqahtani-bds-mclindent-phd (accessed 13 August 2024)

Rooke J Exploring the support mechanisms health visitors use in safeguarding and child protection practice. Community Pract. 2015; 88:(10)42-5

Scottish Government. A Guide to getting it right for every child. 2012. https://girfec-ayrshire.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Guide-to-GIRFEC-1.pdf (accessed 13 August 2024)

Scottish Government. Getting it right for every child: The national practice model. 2015. https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/national-practice-model/ (accessed 13 August 2024)

Scottish Government. National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 – updated 2023. https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2021-updated-2023/documents/ (accessed 13 August 2024)

Snowdon DA, Leggat SG, Taylor NF Does clinical supervision of healthcare professionals improve effectiveness of care and patient experience? A systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017; 17:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2739-5

Taylor J, Smith P, Taylor J A hermeneutic phenomenological study exploring the experience health practitioners have when working with families to safeguard children and the invisibility of the emotions work involved. J Clin Nurs. 2017; 26:(3-4)557-567 https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13486

Vincent S Preventing child deaths: Learning from review.Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press; 2012

Getting it Right For Every Child: Practice Development Panel. https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/34224/1/getting-right-child-practice-development-panel-final-report.pdf (accessed 13 August 2024)

Barriers to health visitors identifying child neglect

20 September 2024
Volume 1 · Issue 1

Abstract

Child neglect poses a significant issue in the UK with enduring repercussions for the health and wellbeing of children. Health visitors are responsible for safeguarding and promoting child welfare and play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing neglect, but a multitude of barriers can hinder this. This article explores the complex landscape of health visitors identifying child neglect, outlining the significance of early intervention, with a particular focus on health visiting in Scotland. Challenges faced by health visitors are examined, including organisational barriers, family/carer disguised compliance, and varying professional thresholds for when to intervene. The importance of leadership support, enhanced training and clear thresholds in safeguarding work are highlighted. The concept of ‘respectful uncertainty’ is advocated as an approach for health visitors to navigate the challenges they encounter when protecting and promoting the wellbeing and safety of children in the UK.

Children who face neglect have a high risk of negative outcomes in adulthood, including engaging in neglectful behaviours towards their own children (Bartlett et al, 2017; Avdibegović and Brkić, 2020). The responsibility for identifying and safeguarding children lies with education, social care and health professionals. Reporting concerns to relevant services for assistance can help to address this (Hood et al, 2016), with prevention a more effective approach than intervention (Rooke, 2015; Glasgow Child Protection, 2022).

Health visitors support interventions from birth to pre-school, and play a crucial role in identifying children at risk of neglect (Scottish Government, 2012; Coles et al, 2016; Peckover and Appleton, 2019). Nonetheless, there are many barriers to identifying and safeguarding these children, both in the workplace and households in which they live (Jarrett and Barlow, 2014).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Journal of Child Health and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for children’s health professionals. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Limited access to our clinical or professional articles

  • New content and clinical newsletter updates each month