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An up‐to‐date and accurate picture of the evidence on the impact of poverty is a necessary element of the debate about the future direction of children's social care services internationally. The purpose of this paper is to update evidence about the relationship between poverty and child abuse and neglect (CAN) published since a previous report in 2016 (Bywaters et al., 2016). A systematic search was conducted, identifying seven reviews. Poverty was found to be consistently and strongly associated with maltreatment, be that in terms of familial or community‐level poverty, or in terms of economic security. Findings demonstrated that both the type and the quantity of economic insecurities impacted child maltreatment. Certain economic insecurities – income losses, cumulative material hardship and housing hardship – reliably predicted future child maltreatment. Likewise, as families experienced more material hardship, the risk for maltreatment intensified. In some studies, the relationship between poverty and maltreatment differed by abuse type. Future reviews need to investigate individual papers and their findings across different CAN measures, definitions, samples, abuse types and conceptualisations of poverty to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current research base and the directions which need to be taken to further understand and prevent CAN. Key Practitioner Messages: Poverty should be a central theme in work with families, and visible in assessments, case conferences and court reports.Research indicates that child protection practices need to move away from a narrow focus on parental risk to harmful contexts and ways of addressing these in which society, communities and families can provide environments where harm is minimised, and children are enabled to flourish.Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between poverty and CAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on child protection during the perinatal period. Topics include establishing public health and more intensive targeted home visiting programmes for both indigenous and non-indigenous families; and increasing awareness showing the impact of maternal behaviours during pregnancy having a detrimental impact on the unborn baby.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the various topics within the issue, including sexual harassment and coercion in Finnish adolescents, parent discipline behaviours in Hong Kong, and practices of sports clubs in the United Kingdom (UK).

Over the past three decades a small number of influential writers have bravely attempted to develop theoretical models for understanding and comparing the complex development of child protection systems across different countries. The foremost frameworks have compared the dynamics of child protection arrangements in high‐income countries, with little attention being given to middle‐ and low‐income countries and, more specifically, the MENA region. This paper presents Lebanon's child protection model and highlights factors that have led to its unique development in the last 20 years. It contends that Lebanon's child protection system is pluralistic in nature, with responsibilities for the ultimate safety and wellbeing of children diffused among a variety of stakeholders. As a relatively new domain of practice for the state, the protection of children in Lebanon has become implicated in the ever‐present national debates regarding the correct balance of authority between state, religion and citizen. A parallel system of decision‐making exists with a state‐run system struggling to find its place alongside customary religious courts unlikely to relinquish their power over family affairs. Through an examination of Lebanon, the paper aims to further road test the most recent typology and address its applicability to one Middle East country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a history of critique, concentrated discussion and improved assessment processes, neglect continues to be a major challenge for child protection services. This paper draws on findings from a government‐commissioned analysis of 'serious case reviews' (SCRs) in England, arising from incidents of serious child abuse in 2017–2019. There were 235 cases, for which 166 final reports were available. Alongside a quantitative analysis of the whole cohort, we undertook an in‐depth qualitative analysis of 12 cases involving neglect. A key challenge in responding to neglect in its different forms is that it can be so widespread amongst families that practitioners no longer notice its severity or chronicity – it becomes normalised. In this paper we explore two dimensions of the 'paradox of neglect' where it seems to be everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. The first is that neglect is so closely bound up with the prevalence of poverty that little action is taken to address it. The second is that the overwhelming nature of neglect can blind practitioners to other forms of maltreatment that may also be present within a family. Practitioners, now more than ever, need to recognise the dimensions of this paradox to protect children from neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people are more likely to seek help about abusive relationships from friends, rather than adults or professionals, irrespective of gender, age or ethnic group. However, friends may be unequipped to deal with relationship problems and unable to provide adequate emotional or practical support. The aim of this paper is to explore how young people would support friends if they were seeking help or shared experiences of abuse. Qualitative findings drawn from a larger UK mixed‐methods study are used to explicate this. Data was gathered using 16 focus groups and one interview with girls, young women and non‐binary young people aged 13 to 24 years. Thematic analysis provided six themes pertaining to supporting friends and help‐seeking around relationship abuse. Findings showed young people recommended supporting friends in a non‐judgemental way to keep conversations open and help them recognise unhealthy behaviours. However, young people confirmed this is a difficult topic and many would feel fearful, helpless and under pressure. Conversations illustrated the need for more awareness of non‐physical abuse and resources specifically aimed at young people to enable them to help friends and know where and when to seek professional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of research about children's participation in child protection processes. Research was undertaken with young people who had recent involvement with safeguarding professionals. The study explored children's lived experience and perspectives and found that children feel capable of making a contribution, however, they are frustrated by experiences of exclusion and inequality and the limitations of their ability to influence process and outcomes. The study further explored the perspectives of practitioners. Whilst professional commitment to child‐centred practice and effective safeguarding is unequivocal, the discourse of participation is characterised by 'yes, but'. Insights emerged from the different voices and competing narratives of the central protagonists in the child protection process: children, social workers, chairs of case conferences and advocates. This paper examines how the child's right to involvement in safeguarding processes is understood and contributes to the evolving discourse about the importance of children's participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a statutory duty for all practitioners to record information in child protection work in England. Case recording is a daily task for practitioners, yet an under-researched area of practice. This continuing professional development (CPD) paper will consider the context in which case recording takes place and highlight messages from child protection reviews and enquiries before exploring learning from contemporary research. The complexities of case recording will be considered and how practitioners can reflect upon and improve their daily case recording skills. Practitioners are encouraged to keep the child's views and experiences central and consider the long-term impact of case recording on adults who have experienced abuse and neglect in childhood. Key Practitioner Messages • Case recording is a complex and nuanced task, often missing the multiple perspectives inherent in a child's narrative. • The views, experiences and identity of individual children and young people can be lost in case recording, especially for very young children, older children and those in sibling groups. • Case recording has a support function for care experienced adults to understand their childhood histories, aiding recovery from abuse and neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada and elsewhere, efforts have been made to regulate the use of secure care on welfare grounds. Yet, studies raise questions about its usefulness as a psychosocial intervention since it appears to be mostly experienced as a punishment. The main objective of the current study was therefore to explore adolescents' experiences of secure care. We conducted qualitative interviews with 25 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old while they were placed in secure care units in the province of Quebec, Canada. Uncertainty regarding how to exit secure care was the most important theme that emerged. Participants did not always understand the words used by practitioners to frame their expectations. Adolescents were also uncertain about how to prove they no longer presented a risk to others or themselves while being in locked settings. This uncertainty generated a lot of anger and distress. To get some control back, adolescents chose to just comply and pretend to agree with practitioners. The present paper questions the utility and even legitimacy of secure care as it is currently used. However, we argue that if an ethic of care predominated our conceptualisation of secure care, rather than an ethic of justice, adolescents could feel both secure and cared for.Key Practitioner Messages: Adolescents do not perceive they are being cared for while in secure care, so they only wish to get out as soon as possible;The fact that adolescents do not understand the objectives they must attain and how they can reach these goals in locked settings causes anxiety and distress;Adolescents only focus on how they can convince practitioners that they ‘deserve’ to get out and not on why they were placed in secure care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the evaluation of an integrated violence and abuse prevention programme for children aged 5–11, focusing on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS) programme was delivered in mainstream primary schools across the UK. A small‐scale study of children with SEND nested within the larger evaluation captured their understandings of abuse and harm and readiness to seek help. A specially adapted survey was completed by 76 children with SEND (aged 6–7 and 9–10) at baseline (31 intervention; 45 comparison schools), 12 in intervention schools post‐programme and 37 (four intervention; 33 comparison schools) six months post‐baseline. Qualitative data was captured through 16 teacher interviews. Whilst this nested study was compromised by the COVID‐19 pandemic, it provides important evidence that with appropriate adaptations, a survey approach to investigating the learning of children with SEND can be effective. Findings indicate that awareness of abuse and help seeking strategies may improve over time, whilst interview data suggests that adapting the programme to be inclusive of those children may have a better effect. However, a much larger sample of children with SEND is required to confidently measure the effects of such programmes for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A main theme within the Munro Review of Child Protection was that social workers should be better able to employ their discretion in the best interests of the individual child. This paper reports on the results of an ethnographic case study of one local authority child protection team. The research sought to explore, with 21 social workers and four team managers, the extent of social worker discretion within the child protection team. Employing a mixed‐methods design – encompassing documentary analysis, observation, focus group, questionnaire, interview and Critical Realist Grounded Theory – the aim was to identify continued barriers to social worker discretion. Main findings highlight how a retained focus on preparation for inspection contributed towards the 'bureaucratic burden' – epitomised by conceptions of Ofsted Anxiety Disorder – and served as a barrier to achieving Munro's image for social worker discretion within the child protection team. Ultimately, despite previous efforts to reform external inspection in the wake of the Munro Review, the paper concludes that there may still be more to do if we are to achieve the 'child‐centred' and 'effective' system that Munro advocated. Key Practitioner Messages Child protection social workers continue to be afforded discretionary space.The discretionary space can be differentiated by 'type.'Social workers are more likely to employ discretion in managerially sanctioned discretionary space.Local approaches to external inspection continue to hinder social worker discretion in the best interests of the child. 'Reports on the results of an ethnographic case study of one local authority child protection team' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children continue to be sexually abused worldwide. In Ghana, relatively high figures of child sexual abuse (CSA) are reported by the police daily. Although there are laws that seek to protect children from sexual abuse, in reality, there is a wide gulf between legislation and practice. This paper explores why this is so by examining the measures adopted in sanctioning perpetrators of CSA in the Ga community in Ghana. The study uses a qualitative approach to collect data from parents and guardians through in‐depth interviews. The study revealed that, generally, traditional rather than legal sanctions are adopted in handling CSA cases. This paper thus interrogates the consequences of the obvious contraventions of the law as traditional interventions are resorted to. We posit that CSA can be minimised only when child protection laws are enforced by the police and victims are reoriented to appreciate the benefits of seeking legal redress. Key Practitioner Messages: Conscious efforts must be made to destigmatise child sexual abuse.Sensitisation programmes should be organised periodically by stakeholders to educate community members on child sexual abuse.The police in partnership with the media must also lead the campaign to educate the populace that choosing traditional options of redress and non‐disclosure of incestuous acts against children is a clear violation of the law and the rights of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people's voices detailing how they experienced engagement with the criminal justice system following child sexual abuse, what was helpful or unhelpful and how services can be improved to minimise secondary victimisation and maximise the potential for healing are largely absent from the research literature. This paper draws on semi‐structured interviews with a culturally diverse sample (n = 47) of young people aged 14 to 25 across Ireland and Canada about their experiences of disclosure and engagement with systems. Data were collected pertaining to experiences engaging with law enforcement personnel using thematic analysis with a trauma‐informed lens. The research identified three key themes: the importance of feeling safe through kindness, transparency and being believed; the importance of having a say; and the importance of timely court processes. The study builds on the small body of qualitative research illustrating young people's lived experiences of engaging with the criminal justice system and provides empirical support for promoting a trauma‐informed approach in how police engage with young people. Guidance is offered for police professionals on how to engage with adolescents following sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research demonstrates that relationships are key when working to support young people affected by sexual violence. Within these relationships, young people show a preference for non‐judgemental, flexible, consistent and informal support. Peer support – defined here as support provided by those with similar experiences – is however an uncharted area for assisting young people affected by sexual violence. This paper draws on interviews with 25 respondents with knowledge and experience of setting up, supervising and/or participating in peer support initiatives for young people impacted by different forms of sexual violence in Europe and North America. The article highlights how one form of peer support, peer or 'survivor' mentoring, can provide emotional and social support; create space for 'normality'; and give choices to young people. It outlines three unique dimensions to the support provided by peers more generally: relatability, credibility and translatability. The discussion reflects on what this might mean for traditional support provided by professionals. It also draws attention to the significance of recognising both the variety of experience and identity of young survivors of sexual trauma and the impact this may have on promoting relatability within relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including friendship and peer support following sexual abuse, peer support for young survivors of sexual violence, and hierarchical peer relationships aimed to reduce school bullying.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the various topics within the issue, including the tools for helping child survivors of maltreatment, the statement validity analysis (SVA) in child sexual abuse case, and the adult attachment interview (AAI) on parent-child relations.

Parental attachment refers to the protective and comforting role of parents toward their children. This role has been violated in cases of maltreatment. Understanding the attachment of parents who endanger their children can illuminate the psychological processes behind the harmful behaviour of parents. This paper proposes assessing parental attachment with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), classified according to the Dynamic‐Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM). We discuss meta‐analyses of the 'gold standard' Berkeley method for extracting AAI information. AAIs of maltreating adults classified with the Berkeley method have an improbably high rate of secure attachment, making it inadequate for family forensic applications. In contrast, the DMM uses a theory‐based, developmental expansion of Ainsworth's infant categories to describe a wide array of dimensionally related protective strategies for coping with danger across the lifespan. DMM‐AAIs, classified by trained, reliable professionals and integrated with data from other sources to create an individualised family formulation, meet evidentiary requirements. We call for a programme of research of court‐involved families comparing DMM‐AAI formulations to outcomes of usual methods for determining family services. 'This paper proposes assessing parental attachment with the Adult Attachment Interview, classified according to the Dynamic‐Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM)' Key Practitioner Messages: Childhood exposure to danger is crucial to understanding maltreating parents' behaviour.Adult Attachment Interviews, classified with the DMM method by authorised experts, can reveal motivating psychological processes that are not apparent in parental behaviour.Information about parents' attachment, together with other information, can help child protection personnel gauge the risk that parents pose to their children and organise personalised treatment plans to reduce that risk.ABCD Berkeley AAI classifications are not suitable for forensic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental substance misuse is a significant child welfare issue and associated with increased risk of child maltreatment. The aim of the present study was to understand what social care outcomes children who live with parental substance misuse have, and to assess factors associated with those social care outcomes over a two‐year period. The paper reports on a retrospective longitudinal study of 299 children all living with parental substance misuse and referred to one local authority in England. Data were collected from children's social work case files about procedural social care outcomes and factors which may be associated with those outcomes. Using cluster analysis, a new typology of children's longitudinal trajectories through the children's social care system was developed, consisting of five distinct types. Analysis indicated that some children received too little intervention from children's social care despite ongoing concerns, while other children were potentially unnecessarily caught up in the social care system. Factors associated with children having the poorest outcomes were: caregiver instability resulting from substance misuse, parenting capacity and household instability. The study's findings indicate that some children who live with parental substance misuse are at significant risk of harm, but others are not and may be better supported through non‐statutory services such as early help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whatever the circumstances, the separation of infants from their mothers at birth is a traumatic experience for all concerned. The paper reports on a study designed to improve practice in this highly sensitive area. An analysis of data collected through semi‐structured interviews with 38 mothers who had experienced removal at birth identified four common themes: isolation and unacknowledged support needs; shame, stigma and the failure of others to acknowledge their maternal identity; acute trauma, immediate downturn and disenfranchised grief following infant removal; and strategies to mitigate their pain and grief. These last themes included the use of artefacts both as transitional objects to help mothers come to terms with the permanent loss of a baby, and as a means of keeping maternal identity alive and connecting with an infant who might eventually return home. In response to these findings, and in collaboration with a group of women with lived experience, HOPE boxes were designed to ameliorate the trauma and psychological burden borne by women in this situation. The contents of the boxes have been chosen to reflect the changing experiences of the women's journeys but also the range of possible potential outcomes. The intervention has considerable potential to minimise the trauma of this painful experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family and extended kinship systems which nurture healthy, happy children are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been impacted by intergenerational cycles of trauma, stemming from colonial violence, genocidal policies and discrimination, including the forced removal of children from their families. Becoming a parent offers a unique life‐course opportunity for trauma recovery and preventing intergenerational trauma. However, identifying or 'recognising' complex trauma carries significant risk of harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents due to reactive prenatal child protection involvement potentially compounding experiences of trauma, and limited benefits due to lack of culturally appropriate support. The Aboriginal‐led participatory Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future project aims to co‐design safe, accessible and feasible perinatal awareness, recognition, assessment and support strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents experiencing complex trauma. This paper presents views of 38 workshop participants to determine prerequisites for ensuring benefits outweigh risks of assessment to safely recognise parents experiencing complex trauma, consistent with screening criteria. Six essential elements were identified from thematic analysis: high‐quality holistic care; cultural, social and emotional safety; empowerment, choice and control; flexible person‐centred approaches; trusting relationships; and sensitive, skilled communication. Key Practitioner Messages: The impacts of colonisation and rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children in out‐of‐home care mean that there can be a myriad of issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents with regard to perinatal child protection involvement.The benefits must outweigh the risks of identifying parents experiencing complex trauma.Assessment must be offered within foundations of supportive relationships and holistic care in culturally‐safe, empowering settings, where choices are respected and skilled communication approaches are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual abuse within institutional settings has been a major concern for governments around the world for many years. Consequently, prevention policies have been developed, and institutional child abuse laws have been strengthened in many jurisdictions. Legislation is important to prevent reoffending, however, the majority of childhood sexual abuse remains unreported and undetected. While awareness of the failings of institutions to properly identify and respond to child abuse has grown in recent years, barriers to reporting institutional abuse remain understudied, impacting the ability to prevent abuse. One possible reason that prevents workers from identifying and reporting child sexual abuse is that their judgements are vulnerable to stereotypes and unconscious biases about who perpetrates and is victimised by sexual crimes and what constitutes warning signs of sexually abusive behaviours. Research in psychology provides key insights into human reasoning processes that can lead to bias, so workers fail to identify, respond and prevent grooming and child abuse in an organisational context. This paper reviews what is known about the development and maintenance of stereotypes and unconscious bias, their role in institutional sexual abuse, and concludes with a discussion of measures that can be taken to mitigate unconscious bias to prevent child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken a strong stance against cyber child pornography by enacting new laws and implementing legal measures to prevent and punish offenders. This article examines the legal framework in the UAE related to cyber child pornography, with a particular focus on the new Federal Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes, as well as Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on Child Rights. Additionally, the paper explores the compatibility of the UAE's relevant laws with the Council of Europe (CoE) Convention on Cybercrime. This article highlights the significance of having laws in place to combat cyber child pornography and provides recommendations for further improvement in the UAE's response to these crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports findings from a study which sought to offer primacy to the voice of the child, using narrative approaches to encourage children and young people to share their lived experiences of neglect. Using a constructivist approach, this paper explores the relationship between the voice of the child and their narrative of neglect. Drawing on the notion of 'family narrative', the discussion examines how children's views are constructed and reconstructed through the process of telling. This research documents that whilst practitioners seek to present the authentic voice of the child, our understanding of 'voice' should be problematized to take account of the fact that it is mediated through a number of filters and lenses. By attending to the voice of the child in the context of their narrative, practitioners may move closer to understanding the lived experience of the individual by exploring feelings, motivations and the myriad of factors which may influence how and for what purpose voice is shared. Engagement with the voice of their child in the context of their narrative, facilitates the development of a social work meta‐narrative to inform effective intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidents of child abuse such as the Oxfam case in 2010 of sexual abuse of children by volunteers' and cases of abuse in orphanages by high‐risk overseas volunteers have highlighted the need for the development of effective safeguarding in the international context. This is of equal importance for faith‐based organisations (FBOs) who, like non‐governmental organisations (NGOs), are obligated to create safe spaces for their beneficiaries. This paper reports the findings from an online survey conducted in 2019, which was completed by 72 participants, 39 were representatives from organisations based in the UK which support individuals to engage in International Christian Work (ICW), 33 were individuals who are or have been engaged in ICW in the last three years. The online survey collected qualitative data, which was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis whilst descriptive analytical techniques were employed on the quantitative data. The findings illustrate commitment to safeguarding children and young people in ICW but also the complexities, challenges and tensions around this. The necessity to work collaboratively in local contexts with co‐production was identified as key to developing effective safeguarding practice. These findings have implications beyond faith‐based organisations to others working in the international context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, Birmingham County Football Association (BCFA) in partnership with Newman University carried out a quantitative online review to assess coaches, volunteers, parents and young people's understanding of safeguarding information, policies and procedures in relation to football. This paper examines the findings from the children (aged 5–11) and young people (aged 12–17) using the Six Principles of Safeguarding to assess the current safeguarding measures in place to protect children and young people (CYP) playing grassroots football. The review found that whilst most CYP felt safe when playing organised football, there were some concerns raised from the young people in relation to angry parents, abuse and racism. Most children in both groupings had heard of the term safeguarding, but fewer had heard of the term welfare, and struggled to explain what welfare meant. A key finding and concern is that many CYP are not aware of the role of the Club Welfare Officer at their football club or that this might be someone to whom they can disclose issues concerning them. Furthermore, it became evident that further research, awareness raising and implementation of listening to and acting on children's voices needs to be fully embedded into safeguarding practice in children and young people's organised football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in comparative law research, this paper compares differences in the regulation of online child pornography in China and the United States. The United States began regulating child pornography through criminal law in the 1970s, gradually refining the laws to distinguish between child pornography and obscenity and prohibit the possession of child pornography and virtual child pornography. In contrast, China treats child pornography on an equal footing with adult pornography, but imposes more lenient penalties on disseminating child pornography, which has led to the proliferation of child pornography. By comparing the two countries' policies and laws on child pornography, this review makes four recommendations for other countries: (i) define child pornography in criminal law; (ii) distinguish between obscenity and child pornography; (iii) prohibit virtual child pornography on the internet; and (iv) increase criminal penalties for child pornography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filicides, where children are killed by their parents or stepparents, are uncommon occurrences, which are committed by both paternal and maternal perpetrators. The aim of this paper is to explore to what extent the antecedents of filicides can be traced back to one of the factors identified within the literature – the adverse childhood experiences of the perpetrators – and what this might mean for the way that services seek to intervene to safeguard and support children in precarious situations. Systematic searches were used to retrieve relevant articles in six electronic databases: AMED, CINAHL, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Medline (PubMed), PsycINFO and SCOPUS. Key findings were that numerous studies reported significant levels of complex, multiple and sustained experiences of childhood adversity for many perpetrators, and that various potential pathways to filicide perpetration may emanate from such experiences. This review suggests that evidence‐based interventions should be made readily available early in life to persons experiencing adverse childhood experiences, together with supportive services to those who become parents and carers. Such support may help prevent the compounding of adversity over time, thereby reducing the potential for risk of harm and possible tragic outcomes for their dependent children. Key Practitioner Messages: Evidence‐based interventions should be made readily available early in life to persons experiencing adverse childhood experiences, together with supportive services to those who become parents and carers.Interventions need to provide early help to children whilst also incorporating a long‐term view of support.Attention to planning and co‐ordination issues between varied services and practitioners can help overcome fragmentation, duplication and gaps in services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scottish government plans a more preventive and partnership‐oriented approach to child protection. However, it has not recently published statistics on the number of child protection investigations. This paper analyses data from a request for information from government. It shows a rate of 153 investigations per 10 000 children aged 0–17 in 2017/18. There were wide variations in rates of investigations across Scottish local authorities. Almost three‐quarters of investigations in 2017/18 did not lead to the child being placed on the child protection register. A small association between investigation rates and local authority deprivation suggests that factors other than deprivation at the local authority level are at play in decisions to investigate child protection. There has been an increase of investigations by one‐third in the last two years with no change in the numbers starting a child protection plan. These trends raise the possibility that concerns about the preventive approach net‐widening and leading to more rather than less children drawn into the formal child protection system may have some basis. The limited nature of published statistical data in Scotland means that policies and activities, which are carried out with large amounts of public funding, receive limited public scrutiny. Key Practitioner Messages: One investigation was conducted for every 65 children in Scotland in 2017/18.One child in 23 was investigated before the age of four.Rates of investigation vary widely between local authorities.One in four investigations are likely to lead to a child protection registration.There was a 33 per cent increase in investigations in the most recent two years with no change in child protection registrations.Investigations harm families and lessen the chances of engaging them with support. 'The limited nature of published statistical data in Scotland means that policies and activities, which are carried out with large amounts of public funding, receive limited public scrutiny' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on an introduction from the new co-editors-in-chief of the journal. Topics include progressing areas such as equality, diversity, and widening participation building on the diverse range of publication formats; and improving alongside the technological confidence of most professionals, students, researchers, and service users.

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]

Statement validity assessment (SVA) was created to evaluate children's accounts in alleged sexual abuse cases and it is the most popular instrument currently used to assess the veracity of their verbal declarations. The core of this method lies in the application of criteria‐based content analysis (CBCA) to the content of the provided account in an attempt to determine its veracity. Despite the popularity and importance of this instrument in legal settings in a variety of countries, there is little evidence that the cultural and ethnic background of the alleged child victims is taken into account. The current paper proposes a theoretical overview of the culturally sensitive aspects of cognition, memory, motivation and self‐identity as reflected in each of the two general categories of the CBCA criteria (i.e. cognitive and motivational). Our investigation revealed that several criteria are likely to be sensitive to cultural differences, therefore further direct empirical proof is needed to improve validation of SVA use in culturally diverse child sexual abuse cases. In the interim, we would encourage the use of culturally sensitive practices and policies among practitioners using CBCA. 'There is little evidence that the cultural and ethnic background of the alleged child victims is taken into account' Key Practitioner Messages: The cultural or ethnic background of children influences their accounts; thus, it should be expected that certain CBCA criteria can be affected by these factors.Professionals using this method are recommended to take a more 'culturally sensitive' approach, which involves learning more about cultural differences and monitoring their own expectations and biases.More empirical research is needed in order to validate which CBCA criteria are suitable for use in a variety of cultures and cross culturally. [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]

Key Practitioner Messages: There is a well‐established link between animal‐ and human‐directed violence.Reports of animal abuse in child protection referrals may indicate more severe cases of child abuse.Cross‐reporting of abuse is important, both in the context of child protection and animal welfare. 'There is a well‐established link between animal‐ and human‐directed violence' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the various topics within the issue, including abusive head trauma (AHT) prevention, family-focused practice (FFP) in families of parents with mental health problems, and child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention.

This naturalistic study researched online help‐seeking conversations between children and young people (CYP) experiencing emotional abuse and/or neglect and their peers. We believe this is the first study internationally to perform such research. Engagement with anonymous, online communities potentially offer children a source of knowledge and a platform to express and understand their experiences with peers on their own terms, using their own words. This study, co‐produced with 10 young co‐researchers (YCoR) (aged 14–18 years), aimed to explore the experiences, psychological characteristics and interactions of CYP engaging with an online peer‐peer message board service to explore theoretical and methodological approaches to examine such 'real world' data and inform service evaluation. Incorporating contextualised interpretations by the YCoR, a phenomenological approach explored how the experiences of abuse were constructed and questioned by CYP in online texts, and what motivates help‐seeking. Findings detail the context of CYPs emotionally abusive or neglectful experiences, their language, disclosed mental health challenges, explicit and inferred help‐seeking motivations. The co‐produced methodology facilitated a nuanced interpretation of CYPs' experiences to convey the impacts of emotional abuse and neglect disclosed in this anonymous environment. Validation with YCoR with diverse experiences would facilitate further translation of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) report childhood sexual abuse (CSA) at higher rates than heterosexual men. The literature has established a clear association between CSA and sexual risk taking. Biomedical HIV preventative approaches are effective tools for reducing HIV acquisition. Since many studies are conducted on MSM broadly, the objective of this review was to examine outcomes of studies on MSM with CSA histories and HIV biomedical approaches. The PRISMA checklist was used to extract data from the included studies. Of 124 studies retrieved, seven articles (n = 7) met the inclusion criteria. Studies included in the review were predominately correlational. Four themes were identified which were sexual behaviour, mental health, drug use/polydrug abuse and intimate partner violence. All identified variables impacted biomedical adherence either directly or indirectly. However, negative childhood experiences were not the dominant priority in the studies reviewed. In addition, there were confusion over how some variables were operationalized. This systematic review highlights the need for further research and intervention development based on past experiences and trauma, especially among MSM of colour. Approaches that incorporate past trauma should be the future focus of HIV prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we explore a Finnish nationally representative self‐report survey (N = 155, 299) conducted in a school as a tool to advance the study of violence in alternative care. By analysing the survey, we were able to provide plausible prevalence and estimates of risk factors of violence in alternative care, suggesting that self‐report surveys conducted in schools are a useful and valid methodology for this type of research. Conducting the survey in a school setting enabled us to reach a nationally representative population of adolescents living in alternative care, which would be difficult to achieve in any other way. However, studying violence in alternative care with a school survey requires a large sample size. Even with quite a substantial dataset, detailed explanatory analyses were not possible due to the low number of observations. This emphasises the importance of other types of data in addition to survey data in explanatory analysis. Based on this study, we concluded that nationally representative self‐report surveys conducted in schools could provide a useful tool and possibilities for replicable research design, which could thereby develop the research field further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framed within the European project ECLIPS (Enhancing the Capacity to combat chiLd abuse through an Integral training and Protocol for childcare professionalS), this study aims at understanding the needs related to the screening and referral of child maltreatment by childcare professionals working with children aged 0–3 in daycare settings of four European countries (Belgium, Hungary, Italy and Latvia). While children in this age group display the highest risk of abuse compared to older children, research and practice are less focused on them. Given their daily exposure, childcare professionals are in a unique position to identify and refer child maltreatment of infants and toddlers. However, data from desk research and focus groups held in the four countries revealed significant gaps in both processes. Screening for abuse is not mandatory for childcare professionals, and many barriers limit its effectiveness, such as the lack of training and the absence of standardised practices. Referral is mainly undermined by psychological barriers, namely fear and lack of self‐efficacy. This is a fundamental first step to developing strategies to face underreporting and filling knowledge gaps while supporting the fundamental competencies necessary to safeguard the young child's best interest, which is the final goal of the ECLIPS project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst teacher violence against children at school is a significant global issue, it remains a form of child abuse that is rarely explored. The aim of this study was to systematically review the global literature on the effectiveness of school‐based interventions to reduce teacher violence against children. MEDLINE, Embase, ASSIA, CINAHL Complete, ERIC and clinical trials.gov databases were searched from inception to 21 April 2022. Four cluster randomised controlled trials were retrieved from Uganda, Tanzania and Jamaica. The number of schools per study (cluster size) varied from 8 to 42 schools with between 55 and 591 teachers and 220–4789 students. The average student age was between 7 and 15 years old and, on average, the teachers were between 30 and 42 years old. The interventions aimed to reduce teacher violence against children and incorporated teacher training workshops that targeted teacher–student relationships by promoting positive discipline techniques and nurturing learning environments. The use of teacher violence was significantly reduced among intervention groups. This suggests that these interventions may effectively decrease teacher violence against children and therefore should be advocated more widely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the underestimation of the risk of family and domestic violence (FDV) in child protection cases. The study compares the data collected through fixed-field methods and narrative data, revealing that the extent of children's exposure to FDV is higher when using narrative data, highlighting the limitations of fixed-field data in capturing the complete picture of FDV.

All over the world, poor and illiterate girls living in rural areas are at higher risk of becoming underage marriage than well‐educated girls living in cities. Early marriages exacerbate inequalities between females and males in society and violate children's and women's rights. This study aimed to demonstrate temporal changes in the prevalence of child marriage and underage childbearing in Turkey by exploring the causes of regional variations in the schooling rate. Our retrospective, descriptive and register‐based study obtained input data on childbirth, marriage, population and schooling from official statistics published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education. Based on official statistics, underage childbearing rates decreased from 2002 to 2019 in Turkey. This study outlined significant regional variations in the ratio of childbearing female under 18 to the population that were higher in the northeastern, central eastern, and southeastern Anatolia regions of Turkey than in other regions. During the same period, there were downward trends in the number of legal marriages of female aged 16–17 and the number of underage females who gave birth in contrast with an increasing population of girls living in Turkey. In terms of welfare, education and healthcare, developments in Turkey were considered to have contributed to the downward tendency of childbearing and marriages of underage females. However, an increase in the schooling rate of girls was the critical determinant of the observed tendency. Therefore, officially setting the compulsory education age to 18 can help to prevent underage marriage and childbearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friendship is valued by most children and young people around the world. In research on happiness, it is often identified as an essential ingredient for a happy life. In this short report we go further by exploring the importance of friendship as an ingredient in advocacy and activism. The report is written by two care experienced young people and two adult allies. The report explores how friendship makes advocacy and activism more possible and more powerful. Drawing on our reflections and personal experiences we discuss how having a space to make friends with others who have care experience and allies, and working together to effect change around policy and practice, has a protective impact on those working for change and those they support. These friendships are protective in practical and emotional ways, but they are also protective because they help hope to grow. We argue that the protective power of friendship, advocacy and activism should be more widely recognised as an important function of advocacy organisations like Who Cares? Scotland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the rarely considered role of friends and peers supporting young people after sexual abuse experienced in adolescence, drawing on participatory research with 32 young people in the UK with lived experience. The article considers ways in which relationships with friends and peers interplay with recovery from abuse. This includes friends and peers as recipients of disclosure, conduits to professional support, sources of emotional support and distraction, and being embroiled in often challenging, precarious peer cultures that young people navigate post‐abuse. The article explores young people's rationale for, and experiences of, reaching out to friends and peers. It considers what young people seek and gain from these relationships in the aftermath of abuse, while acknowledging complex risks and precarity of these relationships. It argues that support from friends offers something distinct to family and professionals. It explores benefits of these relationships, but also potential for peer responses to undermine wellbeing if not sufficiently supportive or informed. The article ends by arguing for professionals to better recognise and respond to these relational contexts and consider whether there are safe and appropriate ways to 'support young people to support' without responsibilisation, and recognising welfare needs of those providing such support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantification of childhood adversity has typically involved a cumulative risk approach in which total number of discrete adversities serves as an index of overall risk. However, this approach fails to account for the growing evidence of differential outcomes following exposure to childhood adversities. An alternative approach adopts a dimensional perspective, with growing evidence for distinct developmental impacts associated with exposure to threat (violence/abuse) and deprivation (neglect). This study developed a framework for the classification of these dimensions through a thematic analysis of health practitioners' views and accounts of different forms of childhood adversity. Ten health practitioners experienced in working with children with challenging behaviours and neurodevelopmental disorders participated in semi‐structured interviews regarding definitions and examples of six categories of adversity: physical/emotional/sexual abuse, physical/emotional neglect, and domestic and family violence. The qualitative analysis identified 23 themes across the six categories of adversity, along with two overarching themes regarding ambiguity of classifying exposures and non‐specific outcomes of exposures. Themes were integrated to provide a framework and checklist for classifying indicators of exposure to threat and deprivation. The findings offer a framework and checklist for the assessment of threat and deprivation that will allow for further testing of the dimensional risk model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in child sex work is reportedly rising in Zimbabwe. While children of both sexes are affected, more females than males are forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money, food, access to shelter, education or some other gains from adults who control these means of survival and commodities. Drivers of CSEC include socioeconomic factors, negative peer pressure, childhood abuse, the influence of uncensored social media, and, more recently, the economic impact of COVID‐19. Involvement in underage sex work exposes children to severe adversities, such as psychosocial and mental health disorders, physical and biological injuries, venereal diseases and HIV. CSEC is a growing concern for resource‐limited countries, disenfranchises children and robs particularly the girl child of a better future. The worsening socioeconomic landscape in Zimbabwe and the COVID‐19 pandemic have exacerbated the problem. Solving the problem of CSEC requires a multipronged approach that involves stakeholders from several sectors, including public health, education, social services, security and the legal fraternity. There is a need to empower communities, empower civil society and development partners, enhance legal frameworks, provide messaging, education and vocational training, as well as rehabilitative services for affected children and their families. CSEC is a violation of the child's rights and a public health concern that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency to preserve the next generation's human capital necessary for the sustainable development of Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People lie on a frequent basis. However, when a victim of maltreatment lies by denying the abuse, lies can become forensically relevant. We have reviewed the relevant literature on the prevalence and memory consequences of such false denials. The way forensic interviewers proceed in the face of denying children will be shaped by their beliefs about the frequency with which truly abused children deny abuse. We discuss that estimates of the prevalence of false denials among abused children vary but that such false denials do happen. When falsely denying children eventually come forward with their experiences, a second issue lingers: how valid are maltreated children's statements after a false denial? We review the literature indicating that false denials can negatively affect memory for the investigative interview during which the lie was told. Yet, memory for the denied experience itself seems to be mostly preserved, and some research even found potential protective effects of false denials. We conclude that denials should always be handled with care in the court room, since the ground truth usually is not known, but that statements should not be dismissed based solely on previous denials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate whether the training offered about child abuse and neglect to families in which there are disagreements and problems between parents will be effective in enhancing awareness. Background: Even if families are the places where children are the safest, they sometimes constitute the risky groups in terms of neglect and abuse. Parents could perpetrate physical and emotional abuses against their children due to conflicts with their spouses. Method: The research was conducted as a pre‐test–post‐test quasi‐experimental study. A total of 142 parents (71 couples) took part in the research. The Socio‐Demographic Information Form, the Abuse Awareness Scale – Parent Form and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale were used as the data collection tools. Awareness training on child neglect and abuse, created by the researcher, was given to parents. Results: Before the training, the mean of pre‐test scores obtained by participant parents from the AAS‐PF was 62.5 ± 7.77 points. The mean of post‐test scores obtained by participant parents from the AAS‐PF was 47.5 ± 4.94 points. There was a statistically significant relationship between participant parents' AAS‐PF and RDAS scores. Implications: In line with the findings obtained from the research, disagreements between spouses pose a risk for children in terms of neglect and abuse. The education program on child neglect and abuse given to parents raises awareness and reduces the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant women with a history of child removal are at greater risk of being found unsuitable to care for their new babies. Neglect, showing a lack of capacity to provide for the child's physical and/or emotional needs, is the most frequent reason why infants are removed from their parents' care. Parents with a history of child removal have often been themselves subject to maltreatment as children and suffer the sequelae of relational trauma which then becomes a barrier to establishing nurturing relationships with their own children. Attachment, and particularly mentalisation‐based, parenting interventions focus on restoring relationships by developing parents' capacity to reflect upon their own internal mental experiences as well as those of the child, helping them to better understand themselves and their children. The DAISY programme is an intensive perinatal attachment and mentalisation‐based intervention for pregnant women with a history of child removal, aiming to improve mothers' mentalising capacities and care proceeding outcomes. This article uses a case study to describe the programme's model and mechanisms of change. Additionally, we present preliminary observations about the programme's delivery and impact from the perspective of one of its practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the first three years of life for children's development and the consequences for their general health in adulthood have been widely documented in the international literature, including the benefits of early identification and intervention programs. Additionally, convergent research has highlighted wide‐ranging negative trajectories attributable to both the short and long‐term consequences of abuse and neglect and their neurobiological impact on health and development. However, formal identification processes and the use of standardised screening tools in child protection remain relatively rare despite the potential societal impact of child maltreatment in terms of public and economic health. Moreover, delays between the initial identification of mental health problems and health and developmental disorders, and the introduction of appropriate interventions persist. Abused and neglected infants risk an exacerbation of the consequences of early maltreatment due to insufficient access to prompt assessment and treatment, including appropriate responses to their health needs. The aim of this article is to present the PEGASE program, an innovative French program for very young children in care, which is modelled on the care of premature babies. By setting up an early care pathway, it aims to ensure adequate medical follow‐up – both somatic and psychiatric – through standardised examination and tailored interventions in order to limit the adverse health and developmental consequences of abuse. The presentation of the PEGASE program is supplemented by a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated reporting to child protection is common. One approach to early intervention is for jurisdictions to receive and respond to child protection concerns raised before children are born. Despite this, little research has comprehensively examined subsequent child protection contact for those first reported prenatally. This study aimed to examine the subsequent child protection contact for up to a two‐year period for a cohort of children who were reported about prebirth. Child protection administrative data were extracted for 640 children reported for a concern about an unborn child in a single jurisdiction during 2014. Data about child protection contacts included reports, investigations, substantiations and out‐of‐home placements for children reported prenatally. Of the 640 children, 79% reported about prenatally also had contact with child protection between birth and age two. From birth and up to age two, children reported prenatally had between zero and 21 reports. Twenty‐two per cent of the children reported prenatally were removed from their birth parents and placed in out‐of‐home care prior to age two. These findings highlight the importance of intervening and supporting families prior to and during pregnancy to reduce harm to children and reduce the need for contact with child protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]