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One important cause of retinal haemorrhages (RHs) in children is abusive head trauma (AHT). Our programme of research was conducted on children admitted to hospital over a seven‐year period who had RHs as part of their clinical presentation. This paper summarises important findings from previous publications. As a prerequisite, two basic studies were necessary: (i) a method of reporting the precise location of the RH in the retina; and (ii) defining a simple clinical classification of RHs based on the appearance of the retinal layer involved. Because raised intracranial pressure (RICP) is a frequent secondary brain insult following serious adult head injury, causing hypoxic‐ischaemic injury with a resultant poor outcome, it was considered whether such RICP might also cause RHs in children. Detailed, state‐of‐the‐art monitoring methods were used to investigate this relationship along with retinal imaging. Methodical documentation of the type, area and lifespan of RHs meant that it was possible to address the question of predicting AHT from RH numbers and characteristics, and to describe not only the duration of different layer haemorrhages, but also a previously unreported observation that some RHs transiently enlarge over two to three days before resolving normally. 'One important cause of retinal haemorrhages (RHs) in children is abusive head trauma' Key Practitioner Messages: A new retinal zone classification for research and legal purposes has been developed, as well as a simplified five‐point working classification of RHs, based on existing fundoscopic descriptions.In this cohort study, a young age and a high 'dot‐blot' count (>25 intraretinal haemorrhages) are strong predictors of AHT.There is a complex association between the burden of intracranial pressure insult and RHs.Time to resolution of different RHs has been calculated using two‐dimensional RH area pixel counts from sequential retinal imaging. Two patterns of resolution are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the lack of validated assessment tools to detect past physical or sexual abuse, the current study examines to what extent the experience of either sexual or physical abuse is reflected in self-figure drawings of adolescents at-risk. A convenience sample consists of 93 adolescents at risk between the ages of 12–17 recruited from Welfare institutes divided into three groups: Group 1 included adolescents who experienced sexual abuse, Group 2 included adolescents who experienced physical abuse but not sexual abuse, Group 3 included adolescents who experienced neither sexual abuse nor physical abuse. A self-report anonymous questionnaire that consisted of demographics, traumatic events questionnaire, and the Medical Somatic Dissociation Questionnaire (MSDQ) was administered following Ethical approval and signing of consent forms. Participants were asked to draw themselves on an A4 sheet of paper using a pencil. Five social workers who were unaware of participants' experiences assessed the drawings independently for the level of obviousness of the following indicators: face line, eyes, nose, ears, hair stand, forehead, lower body, arms, and hands. Results yielded differences in pictorial indicators (nose, hair stand, lower body) among the groups. MSDQ score was found significantly higher among sexually abused victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of this research stems from the fact that in the modern world, the problem of juvenile delinquency is especially acute. Economic inequality, mass globalization, free access to the means of communication, the development of democracy, as well as various social phenomena often cause negative reactions among adolescents. The research goal was to give a comprehensive scientific substantiation of the problem of juvenile delinquency, to consider the impact of deviant behavior on its emergence, to identify its causes and preventive measures, and to develop proposals for their improvement. The methodological basis of the research included a set of techniques and methods for studying this phenomenon of social life. The study revealed that juvenile delinquency remains a serious problem. The negative trend related to the worsening economic situation and lowering living standard in Russia, including minors, results in the higher psychological and emotional overload and the deepening crisis in family relations, which leads to the reemergence of such social phenomenon as child neglect. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that this paper assesses the criminological features of the current state of juvenile delinquency. The theoretical significance of the research includes the deeper scientific analysis of the problem, which provides a scientific basis for its further development. The practical significance implies that the theoretical conclusions obtained in this study can be used for further study of juvenile delinquency and developing measures for its prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to describe a group of families of a low socio-economic status in which child abuse and sexual abuse has been identified, linking such infringement of children rights with family stressors and social support to analyze the implications such link has for psychosocial interventions. The sample was composed by 40 adults who had children and adolescents under their care who receive help from services specialized in child abuse in Uruguay. It was found that the families studied had high socioeconomic vulnerability, childcare mainly done by women, children who had experienced polyvictimization, a high number of stressors and a low perception of social support. Conclusions drawn outline the importance of considering these variables when designing intervention programs that focus on promoting changes in parental practices that can be long lasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few decades, the number of suicide attempts and suicides has been growing dynamically, also among young people. Sexual, physical, and psychological abuse and neglect are recognised as risk factors that encourage adolescents to engage in suicidal behaviour. Although suicides are one of the most frequent causes of death, they have failed to become a priority in the area of public health. The purpose of this paper is to present selected predictors of suicidal behaviour based on an analysis of scientific findings in the area of suicidology, and to increase the awareness of the medical personnel of general paediatric clinics and other (including non-medical) professionals working with children, youths, and families about suicide risks in this particular social group. Suicide prevention should become one of the basic health care services, also in relation to paediatric care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A call for papers on developmental outcomes and service delivery during emerging adulthood is presented.

Background: Childhood maltreatment confers higher risk of adulthood mental disease. However, the biological mechanism mediating this association remains largely unknown, with evidence suggesting dysregulation of the immune system as a possible biological mediator. The present paper conducted a case-control study to establish whether early-life adversity contributes to potentially pathogenic pro-inflammatory phenotypes in adult Panic Disorder (PD) individuals.Methods: Eighty-four PD patients and seventy-eight matched healthy controls were assessed for peripheral serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2R, IL-1β, IL-10, and for specific trauma types through child trauma questionnaire evaluation.Results: Analyses for specific types of trauma (sexual, physical or emotional abuse or neglect) revealed that these impact differentially the single inflammatory markers, and a significant association between physical abuse and the inflammatory marker IL-2R in PD patients was observed (β = 0.40, p = 0.013). The analysis demonstrates that childhood trauma contributes to a proinflammatory state in adulthood, with specific inflammatory profiles counting on the specific type of traumatic event.Conclusion: This study is unique in providing inflammatory biomarkers evidence of distinct biological modifications in PD in the presence or absence of exposure to childhood abuse. These results contribute to a better understanding of the extent of influence of differences in trauma exposure on pathophysiological processes in PD and may have implications for personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Child maltreatment (CM) is global public health issue with devastating lifelong consequences. Global organizations have endeavored to eliminate CM; however, there is lack of consensus on what instruments are most suitable for the investigation and prevention of CM. This systematic review aimed to appraise the psychometric properties (other than content validity) of all current parent- or caregiver-reported CM instruments and recommend the most suitable for use. Method: A systematic search of the CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Sociological Abstracts databases was performed. The evaluation of psychometric properties was conducted according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines for systematic reviews of patient-report outcome measures. Responsiveness was beyond the scope of this systematic review, and content validity has been reported on in a companion paper (Part 1). Only instruments developed and published in English were included. Results: Twenty-five studies reported on selected psychometric properties of 15 identified instruments. The methodological quality of the studies was overall adequate. The psychometric properties of the instruments were generally indeterminate or not reported due to incomplete or missing psychometric data; high-quality evidence on the psychometric properties was limited. Conclusions: No instruments could be recommended as most suitable for use in clinic and research. Nine instruments were identified as promising based on current psychometric data but would need further psychometric evidence for them to be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Better understanding of the causes and circumstances of maltreatment deaths of children is needed to prevent tragedy. The purpose of this article is to facilitate understanding of child maltreatment fatality review processes and their outcomes. A literature review was conducted through searches of the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE and through citations in publications. Over 165 publications were reviewed and 55 were selected for inclusion. Papers were from the United States, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, France, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China. These were included if they described fatality review goals, authority, procedures, and outcomes. Although we searched databases on a continual basis during the preparation of this review, we could have missed publications, particularly those in newspapers and journals that are not included in large-scale databases or cited in other articles. Improvement of fatality review requires diligence by individuals and organizations that provide information to the reviewers. Among challenges to the review process are varying criteria for review, misclassifications of the manner of death, inadequate or incomplete forensic and medical investigations, lack of information about the perpetrator, diversity of the community, concealment of the cause of death by parents or other caregivers, and disagreement among reviewers about the results of their inquiries. Institutional challenges are also present, which include the need for funding, privacy issues on obtaining information, updating reviewer training, lack of follow-up by institutional authorities on the recommendations of the reviews, and research facilitating the review of maltreatment fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to document the scope and correlates of past 6-month victimization among American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) youth. Types of victimization under investigation included sexual assault, dating violence, bullying, sharing of nude photos, sexual harassment, homophobic teasing, and racism. Participants were 400 AI and AN youth in grades 7–10 who completed a survey in school. Results documented concerning rates of all forms of victimization among AI and AN youth during the past 6 months. Although most forms of victimization were related, bullying (at school and electronically), racism, and sexual harassment occurred more often than sexual assault and dating violence. Older youth, girls, and sexual minorities were more likely to report some forms of violence than younger youth, boys, and heterosexual youth respectively. Compared to nonvictims, victim status was consistently related to depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and alcohol use and was less consistently correlated with feelings of school mattering. Evidence-based, culturally grounded prevention and response efforts are needed for AI and AN youth, as well as broader initiatives that seek to reduce health disparities among AI and AN youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows child welfare cases involving caregiver domestic violence (DV) continue to produce punitive consequences for non-abusive adult victims. This occurs despite the adoption of a supportive policy framework that emphasizes perpetrator responsibility for DV-related harm to children. Risk assessment procedures have been implicated in punitive outcomes, but we know little about how they shape child welfare workers' decision-making practice. Focusing on a state with a supportive policy framework, this paper uses grounded theory to examine how policy contradictions, procedural directives around risk assessment, and informal interventions produce punitive consequences for adult victims of DV and unmitigated risk to children. Data include state policy and procedural documents and interviews with child welfare workers describing decision-making in their most recent completed case and most recent case involving DV. Findings point to the need for active alignment of policies and procedures, greater integration of knowledge across practice areas, renewed commitments to differential response, and greater inclusion of DV specialists in child welfare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) has been found to have a detrimental and long‐lasting impact upon a victim's physical and emotional well‐being. A large body of research has raised concerns about how practitioners identify and respond to CSE. In particular, research has indicated that male victims of CSE are commonly being overlooked by practitioners. It has been suggested that this may occur as a result of gender stereotypes. However, this has not been specifically explored by existing research. Therefore, this research project explored how gender stereotypes may influence how practitioners identify and respond to children and young people who are victims (or at risk) of CSE. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with eight practitioners from one Youth Offending Service in the South West of England. Three key themes emerged from the interviews. These themes highlight that as a result of gender stereotypes, practitioners may be less likely and/or slower to identify males as victims and may be less likely to provide males with supportive multi‐agency responses. This paper makes recommendations about how this issue can be addressed to ensure that all victims of CSE are adequately safeguarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected children's risk of violence in their homes, communities and online, and has compromised the ability of child protection systems to promptly detect and respond to cases of violence. However, the need to strengthen violence prevention and response services has received insufficient attention in national and global pandemic response and mitigation strategies. In this paper, we summarize the growing body of evidence on the links between the pandemic and violence against children. Drawing on the World Health Organization's INSPIRE framework to end violence against children, we illustrate how the pandemic is affecting prevention and response efforts. For each of the seven INSPIRE strategies we identify how responses to the pandemic have changed children's risk of violence. We offer ideas for how governments, policy-makers, and international and civil society organizations can address violence in the context of a protracted COVID-19 crisis. We conclude by highlighting how the current pandemic offers opportunities to improve existing child protection systems to address violence against children. We suggest enhanced multisectoral coordination across the health, education, law enforcement, housing, child and social protection sectors. Actions need to prioritize the primary prevention of violence and promote the central role of children and adolescents in decision-making and programme design processes. Finally, we stress the continued need for better data and evidence to inform violence prevention and response strategies that can be effective during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia and internationally, Indigenous children are seriously overrepresented in the child welfare system. This article provides an overview of literature investigating the needs of Indigenous children in residential care facilities. The provision of culturally safe and trauma-informed therapeutic care to Indigenous children and young people in residential care recognizes that the trauma and violence that they have experienced is exacerbated by their Indigeneity due to the colonial histories presenting. Utilizing a systematic scoping review methodology, the study returned a total of 637 peer-reviewed articles that were identified and reviewed for inclusion. The process of exclusion resulted in the inclusion of eight peer-reviewed studies and 51 reports and discussion papers sourced from gray literature. Findings from this study, though dearth, indicate that trauma-informed and culturally safe interventions play a significant role in Indigenous children's health and well-being while in care. Their experiences of abuse and neglect transcend individual trauma and include intergenerational pain and suffering resulting from long-lasting impacts of colonization, displacement from culture and country, genocidal policies, racism, and the overall systemic disadvantage. As such, a therapeutic response, embedded within Indigenous cultural frameworks and knowledges of trauma, is not only important but absolutely necessary and aims to acknowledge the intersectionality between the needs of Indigenous children in care and the complex systemic disadvantage impacting them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment tends to show intergenerational continuity. However, a significant proportion of maltreated parents break these cycles. Since several studies have investigated risk and protective factors associated with the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment over the past decades, and no systematic review of the literature is available, this scoping review aimed to summarize studies documenting associated psychosocial risk and protective factors. A secondary objective was to document the prevalence of this phenomenon. A search in six major databases (PsycINFO, Scopus, Medline, Social Work Abstracts, ProQuest Dissertations/Theses, and Web of Science) was conducted. Studies involving human participants, presenting original findings, written in French or English, and of any type of design were included. There was no limit regarding the date of publication, except for theses/dissertations (5 years). A final sample of 51 papers was retained, 33 providing data on risk and protective factors and 18 providing only prevalence data. Results indicate that parents' individual characteristics (e.g., mental health, age), childhood adversity (e.g., multiple forms of adversity), relational (e.g., couples' adjustment, attachment, social support), and contextual factors (e.g., disadvantage, community violence) are relevant to the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment. Prevalence rates of continuity ranged from 7% to 88%. Major limitations of reviewed studies are discussed. Continued efforts to uncover the mechanisms associated with the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment using strong methodological designs are necessary. Knowledge in this area could lead to the development of effective prevention strategies (e.g., mental health services for parents, family/dyadic interventions) to break harmful intergenerational cycles of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on child abuse has been based on clinical studies, self-reports, survey data, or official records. This paper reports on behavioral research. A group of couples where child abuse had occurred were compared with a matched comparison group of nonabusing couples. All couples were interviewed in their homes where they completed an exercise involving a discussion of opinion differences. The discussion was taped and then coded on system variables. The focus was on the relationship between the health of the couples and the abuse of children. Variables included couples' overall health, depression, and symbiosis. The opposite of a symbiotic relationship is an individuated relationship. An individuated relationship involves clear interpersonal boundaries, meaning that differences between individuals' ideas and opinions are respected. A distinction between symbiosis and affection was also highlighted. Symbiosis was predicted to be associated with abuse. Affection was predicted not to be associated with abuse. Results were that couples with an abused child and comparison group couples differed significantly. The couples who had an abused child were less healthy overall and had higher levels of depression. They also demonstrated relatively higher levels of symbiosis (lower levels of individuation). As predicted, affection did not differentiate the two groups. Neither did the amount of conflict. Suggestions for therapeutic work with abusing couples were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The call for papers for the September 2008 issue of "Child Abuse Review" is presented.

A growing body of literature has begun to furnish information on the prevalence of child abuse in India. The irony is that the perpetrator is often well known to the child and often intra-familial. Though in some situations, it is beyond their control but many times the family fails to protect the child from sexual abuse. The cultural tradition of the family being a "private space" provides little scope for intercession of public into critiquing its members. Furthermore, severe barriers of culture, traditional practices and social stigma attached in the society make it difficult to speak about the incidences of child abuse in public. The globalization process with modern technology has had it both positive and negative effects. Though it has opened new spaces for gender equality, it also encourages commodification of the bodies. The present paper is based on empirical data collected from one hundred respondents with four in-depth case studies of college girls studying in undergraduate and postgraduate programs of the selected colleges of Lucknow city. It attempts to reflect on the incidents of child abuse through narratives on the complex situation and the processes through which the victim, the family members and the civil society at large deals with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings from the analysis of 119 children's social work case files from three local authorities in Wales. The study offers new understanding about the extent of school staff's involvement in the provision of statutory support when there are concerns that a child is living with neglect. Findings demonstrate evidence of a broad range of early and preventative school‐based support provided in 42 per cent of the sample, some gaps in schools' contributions to statutory assessments and a decline in the level of involvement of members of school staff following the initial child protection conference. The discussion also acknowledges a number of challenges encountered during the study: the complexity of social work processes, the variance in understandings of neglect within differing regional contexts and large amounts of missing data on children's files and the restrictions this created for statistical measurement. Findings have important implications for interprofessional relationships between schools and social work teams, at individual and agency levels. The author makes a call for social workers to actively engage members of school staff in child protection processes with the purpose of increasing information sharing across agencies, while enhancing interprofessional safeguarding practice. 'Reports the findings from the analysis of 119 children's social work case files from three local authorities in Wales' Key Practitioner Messages: Schools are key safeguarding partners and provide an extensive range of support to children and their families, both prior to and during statutory intervention.Members of school staff hold expert knowledge on children living with neglect which should be utilised more consistently within statutory assessments.Social workers should ensure members of school staff are invited to attend child protection conferences and develop interprofessional relationships to improve information sharing across agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand child welfare investigations that involve child custody disputes in Ontario, Canada. Methods: The study used data from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect. The OIS is a cyclical, cross sectional provincial child welfare study conducted every five years. Characteristics of investigations involving child custody disputes were examined by conducting chi-square tests on key variables, and a logistic regression was performed to examine the influence of child custody disputes on transfers to ongoing services. Findings: In 2013 approximately 12% of child welfare investigations involved a child custody dispute. These investigations were predominantly referred by a custodial parent, and the primary maltreatment concern was exposure to emotional violence. Investigations involving custody disputes when controlling for all other predictors of maltreatment, were less likely to be transferred to ongoing child welfare services. Implications: There is a complicated relationship between child custody disputes and investigations involving intimate partner violence. Policy and practice implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the employment of communication, engagement and relationship-based practice skills by a Flemish social worker working with a parent who was alleged to have assaulted his child. We deploy insights gained from ethnomethodology to analyse extracts from an ethnographic observation. We show how a respectful approach can be developed between two parties who seek to find meaning from the chain of events they are presented with. In doing so, we establish how practice can be conducted differently depending on the context in which professionals and families find themselves. We argue that social workers' identities revolve around being competent members of their professional community by working within the recommended guidelines and keeping children safe. However, this does not mean that organisational rules determine the activities that take place. Instead, we show how social workers can use their experience and skills to develop effective working relationships and still achieve their intended outcomes without blaming or shaming parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the evaluation results of the Parents And Children Excel (PACE) program on reentry of children of color into the child welfare system. Evaluation results indicate that children who receive case management services from PACE are significantly less likely to reenter the system within one year of exit from PACE. While the evidence does not support statistically significant impact long-term, there could be practical significance. By diverting 605 children and their families to PACE instead of the more expensive child protection, Olmsted County, Minnesota, avoided a $2 million cost between 2010 and 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A deep learning framework for facial age, pornography and child sex abuse detection. • A new CNN with visual attention mechanism and metric learning named as AttM-CNN. • Introduces a new dataset with human labeled 80k images with facial age for juveniles. • Presents another new dataset with 2 million adult pornographic images. • Comparative analysis on ImageNet, age & pornography benchmark datasets and real CSA images. Nowadays, the growing number of cases of possession and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) material pose a significant challenge for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). In this paper, we decompose the automatic CSA detection problem into two simpler ones for which it is feasible to create massive labeled datasets, especially to train deep neural networks: (i) pornographic content detection and (ii) age-group classification of a person as a minor or an adult. We propose a deep CNN architecture with a novel attention mechanism and metric learning, denoted as AttM-CNN, for these tasks. Furthermore, the pornography detection and the age-group classification networks are combined for CSA detection using two different strategies: decision level fusion for binary CSA classification and score level fusion for the re-arrangement of the suspicious images. We also introduce two new datasets: (i) Pornographic-2M, which contains two million pornographic images, and (ii) Juvenile-80k, including 80k manually labeled images with apparent facial age. The experiments conducted for age-group and pornographic classification demonstrate that our approach obtained similar or superior results compared to the state-of-the-art systems on various benchmark datasets for both tasks, respectively. For the evaluation of CSA detection, we created a test dataset comprising one million adult porn, one million non-porn images, and 5 , 000 real CSA images provided to us by Police Forces. For binary CSA classification, our method obtained an accuracy of 92.72 % , which increases the recognition rate by more than 21 % compared to a well-known forensic tool, i.e. NuDetective. Furthermore, re-arrangement of the CSA test dataset images showed that 80 % of CSA images can be found in the top 8.5 % of images in the ranked list created using our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Childhood maltreatment elevates risk for common mental disorders (CMDs) during late adolescence and adulthood. Although CMDs are highly prevalent among university students, few studies have examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and 12 month CMDs in a low- to middle-income countries. This paper describes the prevalence of maltreatment and the relationship between type, number and patterns of maltreatment exposure and 12 month CMDs among first-year university students in South Africa. Methods: Maltreatment and CMD data were collected via well-validated self-report scales (corresponding with DSM-IV diagnoses) in a web-based survey of first-year students from two large urban universities (n = 1290) in South Africa. Various multivariate modelling approaches (additive, restrictive interactive and latent class) were used to examine the relationship between maltreatment and CMDs. Results: Overall, 48.4% of participants reported childhood maltreatment, the most common type being emotional abuse (26.7%). Regardless of the modelling approach used, emotional abuse was the only type of maltreatment independently associated with 12-month diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) or drug use disorder (DUD) even after adjusting for types and number of types of maltreatment. Similarly, students in the latent class reflecting histories of emotional abuse (either alone or combined with physical abuse) were more likely to meet criteria for 12-month MDD, GAD or DUD. Conclusion: Findings confirm the high prevalence of childhood maltreatment among South African students. As this exposure elevates risk for MDD, GAD and DUD, interventions aimed at preventing and treating CMDs among first-year students should address experiences of childhood maltreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing evidence of a relationship between colonialism, the exclusion and social, economic and cultural vulnerability of First Nations in Quebec and the high rate of children in youth protection. This paper will explore the relationship and outline some ways in which First Nations have attempted to alter this pattern. Based on our work, we see cultural safety and governance by and for First Nations as powerful factors for fighting neglect and poverty. There is a need not only to adapt child and family services to the First Nations cultural context, but also to provide First Nations with the authority they need to legislate on issues affecting children and youth in their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal motivation is a key factor in the service of foster care, impending both on the welfare of the child and on the satisfaction of the carer. This paper explores the benefits, challenges and dilemmas involved in the job of professional (i.e. state-supported) foster carer in Romania–a country where the issue of child protection has drawn a great deal of international attention over the last thirty years. The principal hypothesis concerns whether the benefits, challenges and dilemmas identified by foster carers are influenced by the factors that led to their taking up this kind of work. Quantitative research was conducted using a questionnaire as the main tool. The paper takes a descriptive, cross-sectional and multifactorial approach. Sampling was carried out by self-selecting method, and the study involved 51 participants. The research project identified a statistically significant variation in the challenges and dilemmas reported by foster carers. Thus, the results of the study show that the majority of the carers indicate a primarily intrinsic motivation for their work. By way of conclusion, it is argued that social workers, operating in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, can offer carers support in managing more difficult periods in the child–carer relationship, thus enhancing the sustainability of the foster care service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various types of complex biomechanical models have been published in the literature to better understand processes related to inflicted head injury by shaking trauma (IHI-ST) in infants. In this systematic review, a comprehensive overview of these models is provided. A systematic review was performed in MEDLINE and Scopus for articles using physical (e.g. dolls) and mathematical (e.g. computer simulations) biomechanical models for IHI-ST. After deduplication, the studies were independently screened by two researchers using PRISMA methodology and data extracted from the papers is represented in a "7-steps description", addressing the different processes occurring during IHI-ST. Eleven papers on physical models and 23 papers on mathematical models were included after the selection process. In both categories, some models focus on describing gross head kinematics during IHI-ST events, while others address the behavior of internal head- and eye structures in various levels of detail. In virtually all physical and mathematical models analyzed, injury thresholds are derived from scaled non-infant data. Studies focusing on head kinematics often use injury thresholds derived from impact studies. It remains unclear to what extent these thresholds reflect the failure thresholds of infant biological material. Future research should therefore focus on investigating failure thresholds of infant biological material as well as on possible alternative injury mechanism and alternative injury criteria for IHI-ST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helping children recover from the impact of child abuse and neglect is complicated by the limited evidence available on programme effectiveness and efficacy. This paper describes the implementation of a therapeutic service, in Victoria, Australia, known as Take Two, and provides a profile of client characteristics. The paper describes some of the barriers to children in the child protection system accessing therapeutic or mental health services and the approach attempted to overcome these barriers. The Take Two Practice Framework and the subsequent contribution of the Child Trauma Academy's Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics are discussed. There is exploration of evidence‐based practice and how this and related concepts are considered in the evolving theory of change and the Practice Framework. This includes consideration of what else is needed to supplement the evidence. The paper provides a useful model for other agencies that are planning or implementing a therapeutic programme for children traumatised by abuse and neglect. 'Describes the implementation of a therapeutic service, in Victoria, Australia, known as Take Two, and provides a profile of client characteristics' Key Practitioner Messages: Systematic reviews conclude that there is insufficient evidence to allow reliance on any single intervention with this client group.This poses a genuine dilemma for services that aim to utilise evidence‐informed interventions but find their offerings limited.Taking a research‐based and evidence‐informed approach with a strong theory of change has assisted one such programme to respond to this dilemma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how social workers intervene with affluent parents when there are child protection concerns about neglect. Based on data gathered from a small‐scale exploratory qualitative study with 30 practitioners from 12 local authorities across England, this study examined three overarching questions: (a) How do social workers identify risk factors for vulnerable children in affluent circumstances? (b) Which factors inhibit or enable social workers' engagement with resistant affluent parents when there are child protection concerns? (c) What kind of skills, knowledge, and experience is necessary for social workers to effectively assert their professional authority with affluent parents when there are concerns about abuse and neglect? The findings revealed that indicators of neglect can be difficult to identify and challenging to respond to when parents are affluent. Results indicate that social workers have to navigate complex power relationships with parents who are able to use their class privileges to resist their interventions. The paper concludes with a discussion of social workers' skills and capacities for engaging highly‐resistant affluent parents in the child protection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child neglect is a significant concern for Aboriginal families and communities both in Australia and internationally. Service responses to child neglect are largely informed by child neglect theories, which explain the nature and causes of child neglect. However, child neglect is a problem that is worsening for Aboriginal children, suggesting that these theories are not appropriate. This paper argues that to meet the needs of Aboriginal families and communities where there is child neglect, policy and practice needs to acknowledge and address the impact of trauma in shaping the lived experiences of Aboriginal people. International literature discusses the impact and consequence of historical trauma within Indigenous families and communities, and separately, child maltreatment theorists have discussed the ecological nature of child neglect. However, the literature and evidence‐base linking the two, child neglect and historical trauma in Indigenous contexts, are very scant. This paper aims to fill this gap and emphasize the importance of addressing child neglect within Aboriginal families and communities in the context of historical trauma. Although this paper focuses on the post‐colonial experiences of Aboriginal people in Australia, the arguments can extend to many Indigenous cultures universally where child welfare interventions have resulted in significant and ongoing trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous studies of parenting programs suggest that facilitator fidelity, participant attendance and engagement often influence treatment outcomes. While the number of parenting program evaluations has been growing in low- and middle-income countries, little is known about the implementation processes and their impact on participant outcomes in these settings.Methods: This study was nested within a cluster-randomised trial of a parenting program in South Africa. The paper aims to, first, describe the implementation of the intervention over 14 weeks. Second, using longitudinal multilevel analyses, the paper examines the impact of variation in observer-rated fidelity, attendance, and engagement on participant outcomes - parenting and maltreatment reported by caregivers and adolescents aged 10-18 (N = 270 pairs), 14 outcome constructs.Results: Fidelity, attendance and participant engagement rates were similar to those reported in high-income country studies. However, the participation and implementation characteristics did not predict participant outcomes. This may be due to limited variation in dosage as home visits were comprehensively provided when participants could not attend group sessions, and fidelity was monitored by the implementers and researchers. One statistically significant predictor after the multiple testing correction was higher fidelity predicting an increase in adolescent-reported maltreatment at follow-up, possibly due to an increase in reporting (incidence rate ratio 1.33, 95% CI [1.19, 1.49], p < 0.01).Conclusions: Our study confirms that a high quality of implementation can be achieved in a low-resource context. Suggestions for future research on parenting programs include examining therapeutic alliance alongside program fidelity and facilitator skill as well as systematically recording program adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to increased awareness and impact of domestic violence, women's safety in the domestic sphere has become a prominent problem in Australian politics. In an analysis of criminal injuries compensation (CIC) processes in WA, this paper highlights a specific aspect of national policy failure in relation to safety for women who have experienced domestic and family violence. It establishes policy impetus to acknowledge a right to protection by the state within the domestic sphere, then discusses the history and relevance of state responsibility/obligations for victims of crime compensation and demonstrates how the failure to comply with the nationally endorsed plan to address domestic violence places some women at risk of further harm. The example of WA's victims of crime compensation processes highlights the high level of female domestic violence victims using the scheme and important intersectional issues pertinent for Indigenous women. The paper points to how a specific failure of policy implementation may be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a randomized control trial involving children less than 3 years old and their mothers who were regarded at risk of maltreating their children by referral agencies. Mothers' risk status derived from a heavy trauma burden (average exposure over the first 18 years of their lives to 10 possible adverse childhood experiences [ACEs] was >5), mental health challenges (15%–28% had experienced a prior psychiatric hospitalization), and prior removal of a child to foster care (20%). Mothers were randomly assigned to either a widely used parenting class known as Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) or the Group Attachment-Based Intervention (GABI), a multifamily 26-week treatment. The resulting mother–child pairs available for consideration in this baseline versus end-of-treatment report were 35 families in the STEP arm and 43 families in the GABI arm. The focus of this paper is the outcome measure of observed parent–child relationship assessed with the Coding of Interactive Behavior (Feldman, 1998) collected at baseline and end of treatment. In comparison to STEP, results indicated that GABI was linked to significant improvements in maternal supportive presence and dyadic reciprocity, and significant declines in maternal hostility and dyadic constriction (proxies for risk of child maltreatment). These medium-to large-sized effects remained significant even after controlling for mothers' prior ACEs in analysis of covariance procedures. In addition, two small interaction effects of ACEs by treatment type were found, underlining the need for, and value of, treatments that are sensitive to parents' traumatic histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The woman with intimate partner violence is facing more challenges and barriers in domestic circle and it terribly affects the healthy family life. This paper is based on issues and health consequences of family life of women with partner violence. Papers are collected from the online data base like Scopus, Sage, Pub Med, Google scholar, Elsevier and Springer, J-Stor since 2000. Specific search terms were domestic violence, marital partner violence, intimate partner violence, spousal abuse, gender-based violence. The articles were reviewed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria The reviews classified into demographic factors and personal factors and its health consequences. Comparisons in the prior review still the partner violence is prevalent. Recommendations for intervention and suitable techniques should be introduced to eradicate and gain an alert is protecting from all violence's [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children may often be able to overcome and grow from single episodes of maltreatment, however as these risk factors accumulate, a child's capacity to endure diminishes (Newman & Blackburn, 2002). This paper highlights the prevalence of chronicity and multiplicity in maltreatment experiences and the ways in which these experiences may manifest, as multi type maltreatment, poly-victimisation and re-victimisation across the life course. The article discusses the reciprocal relationship between risk and harm; and examines the literature on cumulative risk and cumulative harm and the theoretical frameworks that underpin the notion of accumulation. The paper argues that cumulative risk and harm need to be embedded in practice and prioritised in research, across all aspects of the helping professions, in order to turn the tide in our battle to protect our most vulnerable children and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status and poverty are strongly associated with Child Maltreatment. Multiple studies have described the effects of working tax credits on Child Maltreatment with heterogeneous results. There is yet to be a comprehensive review of this research. This study aims to review all research which explores the effect of working tax credits on child maltreatment. Three databases (Ovid Medline, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched. Title and abstracts were screened according to a set of eligibility criteria. Data were extracted from eligible studies, and risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tool. Results were synthesised narratively. Nine studies were included. Of these, five papers investigated overall reports of child maltreatment, with three finding a positive effect of tax credits. Results suggested a protective effect against child neglect, however, no significant effect was found with respect to physical or emotional abuse. Three of four papers found that working tax credits resulted in decreased rates of entry to foster care. Mixed results were found with respect to self-reported child protective services contact. A range of methodological and temporal differences between studies was identified. Overall, some evidence found that in work tax credits are protective against child maltreatment and that they are most effective in reducing neglect. Policymakers can take courage in these results, as they represent an example whereby the "risk factors" of child maltreatment can be countered in order to reduce rates of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Learning the lessons from serious child abuse cases can prevent harm in future. • Lack of 'professional curiosity' and 'challenge' are inadequate explanations. • More productive understandings for practice would be communication and courage. • Awareness of the ambiguous policy context is also essential. • Well supported staff and properly resourced services are vital. Learning lessons from cases where children have been killed or seriously harmed from abuse or neglect is important for child protection policy and practice around the world. In England there is a long-established system of locally based, multi-agency reviews. Three recurrent themes over the years have been the poor quality of assessments, shortcomings in inter-agency working and information sharing, and not knowing the children and understanding their experiences. The reviews often identify a lack of 'professional curiosity' and insufficient 'challenge' on the part of child protection practitioners as the cause of these problems. This paper analyses these concepts, drawing on four recent studies of child safeguarding reviews conducted by the authors and their research team. It uses qualitative data from the reports and the views of local professionals in online focus groups. The reviews tend to use the perceived lack of curiosity and challenge as the explanation for poor practice without interrogating why, when and in what circumstances it becomes more difficult for professionals to remain curious and appropriately challenging. Professional curiosity and challenge are complex, multifaceted concepts, and applying them in practice is difficult and skilled work. The paper argues for a more nuanced and grounded understanding of the concepts and their application in practice. It sets them in wider frames of communication and courage, and the ambiguous policy context of a preference for cooperative engagement with families but high expectations about protecting children. It offers recommendations for future research into the review process, authorship style, practice in local agencies and national government policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Keep Children and Families Safe Act amendment to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 2003 mandated children under age three who are involved with Child Welfare (CW) to receive a referral to the system for early intervention (EI). While there is strong rationale for providing developmental services to young children and families impacted by maltreatment, the early implementation of this policy brought about many challenges related to interagency coordination and readiness of providers to provide cross-systems care. Currently, as the system and providers within the system recover from the effects of Covid-19, a predicted increase in need of services may exacerbate historical gaps in the provision of services to families involved with CW. This policy-focused paper explores issues impacting CW and EI providers who coordinate care between CW and EI services. This paper provides a historical examination of these challenges and proposes an approach for improving developmental services for families referred from CW, specifically through the lens of addressing resources and supports available to providers. The proposed approach includes an increase and reprioritization of resources to support provider readiness and well-being. By focusing on support for providers, the authors propose a reduction of stress and improvement of services at each level of the "well-being" system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive risk modelling using administrative data is increasingly being promoted to tackle complex social policy issues, including the risk of child maltreatment and recurring involvement with child protection systems. This paper discusses opportunities and risks concerning predictive risk modelling with administrative datasets to address Indigenous Australian overrepresentation in Australian child protection systems. A scoping review using five databases, and the Google search engine, examined peer‐reviewed and grey literature on risks associated with predictive risk models (PRMs) for racial and ethnic populations in child protection systems, such as Indigenous Australians. The findings revealed a dearth of research, especially considering Indigenous populations. Although PRMs have been developed for Australian child protection systems, no empirical research was found in relation to Indigenous Australians. The implications for utilising administrative data to address Indigenous Australian overrepresentation are discussed, focusing on methodological limitations of predictive analytics, and notions of fairness and bias. Participatory model development, transparency and Indigenous data sovereignty are crucial to ensure the development of fair and unbiased PRMs in Australian child protection systems. Yet, while PRMs may offer substantial benefits as decision support tools, significant developments – which fully include Indigenous Australians – are needed before they can be used with Indigenous Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments using data analytics will be increasingly drawn into creating social licence for these applications. The need will be greatest where two conditions are present. First, where data analytics are used to predict rather than describe or prescribe. Second, where such prediction is used by governments when exercising their coercive powers. Two examples of using predictive risk modelling are identifying children at risk of neglect and abuse; and assessing recidivism risk in the criminal justice system. Each has drawn criticism, precipitating discussion around the requirements for social licence. Much of this discussion focusses on transparency as both an intrinsic virtue and an instrumental virtue for achieving social licence. The paper contends that transparency is unachievable as an intrinsic virtue for such purposes and that its conceptions as an instrumental virtue fall short of that required for users and subjects as well as the public to have "sufficient to approve or disapprove of the algorithm's performance". The conclusion is that unconventional democratic forms, including deliberative and direct democracy, are likely to prove more successful than representative democracy in establishing that licence and thereby realising more fully the potential contribution of data analytics to better government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Two common methods in community settings of assessing program fidelity, a critical implementation component for program effectiveness, are video and audio recordings of sessions. This paper aims to examine how these two methods compared when used for a home-based behavioral parenting-training model (SafeCare®). Design/methodology/approach: Twenty-five SafeCare video-recorded sessions between home visitors and parents were scored by trained raters either using the video or audio-only portions of recordings. Sessions were coded using fidelity checklists, with items (n = 33) classified as one of two fidelity aspects, content [delivery of program components (n = 15)], or process [communication and rapport building (n = 11)]. Seven items were considered to overlap between constructs. Items were coded as having been done or not done appropriately. Coders rated items as "technological limitation" when scoring methods hindered coding. Analyses compared percent agreement and disagreement between audio and video coders. Findings: Overall agreement between coders was 72.12%. Levels of agreement were higher for content items (M = 80.89%, SD = 19.68) than process items (58.54%, SD = 34.41). Disagreements due to technology limitations among audio coders were noted among 15 items; particularly, higher levels of disagreement were seen among process items (42.42%) than content items (9.64%). Originality/value: Compared to video, fidelity monitoring via audio recordings was associated with some loss of process-related fidelity. However, audio recordings could be sufficient with supplements such as participant surveys, to better capture process items. Research should also examine how content and process fidelity relate to changes in family behavior to further inform optimal fidelity monitoring methods for program use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in child abuse, with a mortality rate of approximately 25%. In survivors, the prognosis remains dismal, with high prevalence of cerebral palsy, epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders. Early and accurate diagnosis of AHT is challenging, both clinically and radiologically, with up to one-third of cases missed on initial examination. Moreover, most of the management in AHT is supportive, reflective of the lack of clear understanding of specific pathogenic mechanisms underlying secondary insult, with approaches targeted toward decreasing intracranial hypertension and reducing cerebral metabolism, cell death and excitotoxicity. Multiple studies have elucidated the role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines with upregulation/recruitment of microglia/macrophages, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, recent studies in animal models of AHT have demonstrated significant upregulation of microglia, with a potential role of inflammatory cascade contributing to secondary insult. Despite the histological and biochemical evidence, there is a significant dearth of specific imaging approaches to identify this neuroinflammation in AHT. The primary motivation for development of such imaging approaches stems from the need to therapeutically target neuroinflammation and establish its utility in monitoring and prognostication. In the present paper, we discuss the available data suggesting the potential role of neuroinflammation in AHT and role of radiotracer imaging in aiding diagnosis and patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of abusive head trauma (AHT) can be devastating for both the individual child and for wider society. Death is undoubtedly a very real possibility, but even for those children who survive, there is often very significant morbidity with the potential for gross motor and cognitive impairment, behavioural problems, blindness and epilepsy, which can greatly affect their quality of life. Caring for such children places a vast financial and infrastructural burden on society that frequently extends well into adulthood. While few struggle to have any sympathy for the perpetrator, frequently the infant's father, it should be noted that a single solitary and momentary loss of complete control can have horrific and unforeseen consequences. A number of papers within this edition describe features of AHT and include descriptions of skull fractures and extra-axial haemorrhage, along with mimics of such phenomena. However, in this review we concentrate our attention on the myriad of parenchymal findings that can occur. Such parenchymal injuries include hypoxic-ischaemic damage, clefts, contusion and focal haemorrhage. We offer our perspectives on current thinking on these entities and put them in the context of the immensely important question - how do we recognise abusive head trauma? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In abusive head trauma victims, optic nerves and optic sheath hemorrhages are commonly associated with retinal hemorrhages. Until now, optic nerve and optic nerve sheath hemorrhages related to abusive head trauma have been identified by exenteration and soft-tissue sectioning during postmortem examination. In 2013, we proposed the use of tailored high-resolution susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) MRI sequences to depict retinal hemorrhages in lieu of the gold standard dilated fundus exam, in select patients, and in 2017 we showed how the same high-resolution sequences used in the coronal plane can depict ruptured bridging veins in abusive head trauma. This paper describes the new potential diagnostic application of high-resolution axial and coronal SWI in the diagnosis of optic nerve and optic sheath hemorrhages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal hemorrhages are an integral part of the evaluation of abusive head trauma (AHT). Timely detection of retinal hemorrhage not only facilitates the diagnosis of AHT, but has the potential to prevent further abuse to the child and the siblings and to identify the abuser. The gold standard for diagnosing retinal hemorrhage is a dilated fundoscopy exam, which requires pharmacological dilation. As such, there is a small percentage of patients for whom the dilated fundoscopy exam might be delayed. Evolving literature suggests that MRI, specifically susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), of the orbits might provide an alternative diagnostic tool for noninvasively detecting retinal hemorrhages, particularly when there is a delay in administering the dilated fundoscopy exam. In this paper we review the utility of SWI for detecting retinal hemorrhages in abusive head trauma, including discussion of diagnostic limitations and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a real diagnosis that is erroneously used to explain multiple fractures in suspected child abuse. This paper reviews the clinical and molecular diagnostic criteria for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This knowledge can help prevent misdiagnosis and support clinicians when evaluating infants and young children with multiple fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Building Healthy Children (BHC) home-visiting preventive intervention was designed to provide concrete support and evidence-based intervention to young mothers and their infants who were at heightened risk for child maltreatment and poor developmental outcomes. This paper presents two studies examining the short- and long-term effectiveness of this program at promoting positive parenting and maternal mental health, while preventing child maltreatment and harsh parenting. It also examines the intervention's sustained effect on child symptomatology and self-regulation. At baseline, young mothers and their infants were randomly assigned to receive BHC or Enhanced Community Standard. Families were assessed longitudinally across four time points. Data were also collected from the child's teacher at follow-up. Mothers who received BHC evidenced significant reductions in depressive symptoms at mid-intervention, which was associated with improvements in parenting self-efficacy and stress as well as decreased child internalizing and externalizing symptoms at postintervention. The follow-up study found that BHC mothers exhibited less harsh and inconsistent parenting, and marginally less psychological aggression. BHC children also exhibited less externalizing behavior and self-regulatory difficulties across parent and teacher report. Following the impactful legacy of Dr. Edward Zigler, these findings underline the importance of early, evidence-based prevention to promote well-being in high-risk children and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As championed by the work of Ed Zigler, investing in nurturing environments for all children is a chief tenet of primary prevention that will have far-reaching benefits to the health and welfare of all members of society. Children who endure child maltreatment (CM) are among society's most vulnerable. Prospective longitudinal research aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms linking CM to subsequent adverse health consequences is needed to improve outcomes and to strengthen causal inference. This paper outlines the methods of the Child Health Study (CHS), a large, state-wide longitudinal cohort of recently maltreated and nonmaltreated youth aged 8–13 who will be assessed every 2 years. The CHS is designed to include in-depth assessments of multiple environmental, behavioral, neural, physiological, and molecular mechanisms through which CM may impact a broad spectrum of youth development, including behavioral and physical health outcomes. In addition to describing the conceptual framework and methods underlying the CHS, we provide information on valuable "lessons learned" in the hopes of supporting future research efforts facing similar challenges. The ultimate goal of this research is demonstrating how policies regarding CM impact the well-being, resilience and recovery of survivors and that they are worthy of large public investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses social workers' moral agency in addressing child abuse and neglect. We argue that ethically sound social work requires the capacity to exercise strong, multidimensional moral agency. The contribution is based on a qualitative interpretative meta-synthesis of four studies representing different forms of child abuse and neglect in varied contexts. Drawing on our analysis, we identify three thematic categories of moral considerations in terms of social workers' moral work in addressing child abuse and neglect: genders and generations, agencies and responsibilities, and families and communities. We then proceed to posit four dimensions of moral work in child and family social work – individual; cultural and communal; societal and political; and global – and argue that if they are to exercise strong moral agency, social workers must negotiate these intersecting contextual dimensions. Recognising the salience of these dimensions, how they increasingly intersect, and what this demands of social workers is necessary for the profession. Social workers must embrace individually sensitive, culturally translative, politically engaged and globally aware moral agency. This is crucial in elaborating context-sensitive practice that critically engages with moral complexities when working with individuals, families and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 and the resulting "lockdown" and social distancing measures significantly disrupted the mechanisms by which child maltreatment may be identified or disclosed and children's voices in relation to their protection are heard. This paper reports on the first stage of a multi-disciplinary study in which 67 interviews were undertaken with strategic and operational leads in all professions with child protection responsibilities from 24 London boroughs in June to early September 2020. Findings highlight disruptions to communication pathways caused by redeployment and the closure of universal and early help services, and concerns about the effectiveness and safety of distanced interactions. Innovations in practice to overcome these challenges are reported, including risk reevaluation exercises, keeping in touch strategies and online innovations. Lundy's model of participation rights is employed to identify lessons for addressing the invisibility of some groups of children, enhancing access to and quality of communication, and embedding responsibility for listening to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]