Beyond the specific child. What is 'a child's case' in general practice?

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Child Protection
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• A significant number of abused and neglected children are overlooked by general practitioners (GPs) and other healthcare professionals.
• Existing definitions of 'a child in need' lack empirical testing within the general practice context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the challenges GPs face when identifying cases of children in need during professional supervision.
• To develop an empirically-grounded definition of a 'child in need' specifically for use in general practice.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method evaluation design was employed.
• Twenty-one GPs in Denmark participated in supervision groups focused on children in need.
• Data analysis included field notes, video recordings, thematic analysis of GP descriptions, and case categorization.

Main Results:

• A proposed definition for a 'child in need' case in general practice was developed.
• Such cases involve direct or indirect problems concerning a child (born or unborn) or parents, potentially impacting family or child wellbeing.

Conclusions:

• GPs may overlook abused and neglected children due to the complexity of indirect consultations, increasing the risk of losing critical oversight.
• The proposed definition aims to aid GPs in identifying and managing cases involving children in need more effectively.