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Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Are abused babies protected from further abuse?
B A Ellaway1, E H Payne, K Rolfe
1Department of Child Health and Epidemiology, Cardiff University, Wales College of Medicine, Academic Centre, Llandough Hospital, Wales, UK.
Physically abused infants face a high risk of further harm. Over 30% of babies returning home after investigations experienced subsequent abuse, a rate significantly exceeding the general population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Abuse Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Infant abuse is a critical public health issue.
- Understanding re-abuse rates is vital for child protection.
- Previous data on long-term infant re-abuse is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the re-abuse rate in physically abused infants.
- To assess the risk of subsequent abuse for infants returning home after intervention.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study followed 69 infants under one year old for three years post-incident.
- Data was collected on infants who returned home following child protection investigations.
Main Results:
- Fifteen of the 49 infants (31%) who returned home were subsequently abused within the three-year period.
- This re-abuse rate is substantially higher than rates in the general population.
Conclusions:
- Infants experiencing physical abuse are at a significantly elevated risk of recurrent abuse.
- Child protection services must address the high re-abuse rates to improve infant safety.
- Further research is needed to identify risk factors and protective measures for this vulnerable population.
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