About the Book
Safeguarding children from harm has, until recently, been driven primarily by social work practitioners. With current shifts in child care and protection practice and policy, combined with an overwhelming message of 'working together', primary health care professionals have an increasingly central part to play. There is a strong argument that cases of suspected child abuse and neglect should warrant the same level of urgent response as any potentially fatal childhood illness.
This book provides an overview of the challenges primary health care professionals now face in recognising and responding to concerns about a child's safety from abuse and neglect. It provides practical accounts and perspectives from a range of frontline practitioners working with children, parents and carers, backed up by theoretical insights from leading academics in the field. Issues explored include: media coverage of child abuse and neglect cases, inter-professional collaboration, competing professional priorities and resources, practical workload decisions and personal experiences and anxieties.
Safeguarding Children in Primary Health Care is a useful training and development resource for all primary health care practitioners, such as paediatricians, community nurses and midwives, community psychiatric nurses, health visitors, dentists, general practitioners and allied health professionals.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One: Safeguarding Children in Primary Health Care – an Introduction. Markus Themessl-Huber, Central Queensland University, Australia and Julie Taylor, University of Dundee, Scotland. Part 1. Roles and Remits of Primary Health Care Professionals. Chapter Two. Preparing for the Special Challenge of Sexual Abuse. Sarah Nelson, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Chapter Three. Child Protection: A Dutch GP's Perspective. Floris Van De Laar and Toine Lagro-Janssen, both of Radboud University Nijmegan Medical Centre, Netherland. Chapter Four. The Role of the Paediatrician in Safeguarding Children. Ruth Skelton, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Chapter Five. The Role of the Primary Care Dentist in Safeguarding Children. Ruth Freeman, University of Dundee, Scotland. Chapter Six. Violence in the Community. Anne Lazenbatt, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland. Part 2. Practical Interventions Suitable for Primary Health Care. Chapter Seven. Safeguarding and Promoting the Wellbeing of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Michelle O'Neill, Susanne Zeedyk and Martyn Jones, all of the University of Dundee, Scotland. Chapter Eight. Communication, Behaviour and Child Protection. James Law and Leila Mackie, both of Queen Margaret University, Scotland. Chapter Nine. Protection through Emotional Responsiveness. Florian Juen, Therapiezentum 'Die Eule' Therapy Centre for Children, Austria and Barbara Juen, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Chapter Ten. Assessment and Interventions for Child Trauma and Abuse. Jacqueline Feather and Kevin Ronan, both of the Central Queensland University, Australia . Part 3. Strategic Interventions in and Beyond Primary Health Care. Chapter Eleven. Proactive in Protection: A Public Health Approach to Child Protection. Lindsay Ferguson, NHS Tayside, Scotland. Chapter Twelve. The Role of the Child Health Commissioner in Safeguarding Children. Caroline Selkirk, Child Health Commissioner, NHS Tayside, Scotland. Chapter Thirteen. 'Child Death Review'. Catherine Powell, Portsmouth City Teaching PCT, England. Part 4. Safeguarding Challenges in the Primary Health Care Context. Chapter Fourteen. Parental Problem Drug Use. Anne Whittaker, NHS Lothian, Scotland. Chapter Fifteen. The Limits, Challenges and Opportunities of Safeguarding Children in the Context of Primary Care. Markus Themessl-Huber, Central Queensland University, Australia, Anne Claveirole, Janette Pow, Dona Milne and Lawrie Elliot, all of Napier University, Scotland. Chapter Sixteen. Safeguarding Children Where There May be Concerns about Ritualistic Abuse or Spirit Possession. Julie Taylor and Jane Cantrell, NHS Education Scotland, Edinburgh. The Contributors. References. Subject Index. Author Index.
About the Author :
Kevin R. Ronan is Professor of Psychology at CQ University, Australia. He is a clinical psychologist with nearly 25 years of clinical experience, in particular with children, adolescents and their families. Jacqueline S. Feather is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand. She is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years' clinical experience working with children, adolescents and their families, and has particular expertise in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy interventions. Brigid Daniel is Professor of Social Work at the University of Stirling. She is the co-author of a number of books on child care and protection and has a particular interest in factors that help children to cope with adversity. She was a member of the multi-disciplinary team that carried out a national ministerial review of child protection practice in Scotland.
Review :
This is a must-have resource for primary healthcare professionals.
As recent well-publicised cases illustrate, the identification of, and appropriate response to, child abuse and neglect by health and social care professionals at all levels remains a major barrier to effective child protection in the UK. The role of primary health care professionals has received limited academic and policy attention despite their key role in timely identification and initial management of children and their families where abuse is suspected. Julie Taylor and Markus Themessl-Huber's book fills an important gap in the literature offering a rich and comprehensive overview of the many complex facets of the identification and management of child abuse in primary care. This book should find a place alongside local child protection guidelines on primary health care professionals' book shelves'.
Safeguarding children and young people is every nurse's business. The text clearly outlines the role, responsibilities and challenges for practitioners working in primary care settings. Promoting the health and wellbeing of the whole family is a key component of day to day activities. However, acting to protect a child must be of paramount importance. Practitioners should always act in the best interests of the child and seek advice from Named and Designated professionals if unsure. Professional bodies like the Royal College of Nursing can also assist where practitioners feel their voice is not being heard at local level.
This informative book addresses a major gap in the literature in examining the complexity and challenges of safeguarding children in primary care. Primary health care professionals have a key role in the identification and management of children, young people and their families where abuse or neglect is suspected. This book provides an invaluable resource for all primary care health and social care professionals. As policy and research place a greater emphasis on early intervention and collaborative working in safeguarding children's health and wellbeing, this book offers an excellent guide to both practical and strategic approaches utilised in primary care.
