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[Domestic violence in the accident and emergency department: don't forget the children]
Eva M M Hoytema van Konijnenburg1, Johanna H van der Lee, Sonja N Brilleslijper-Kater
1Academisch Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam.
Insights
Healthcare professionals must perform child safety checks when adults face psychosocial issues like domestic violence. This policy ensures child welfare by investigating potential risks to children in vulnerable family situations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Social Work
Background:
- Dutch policy mandates child safety assessments for adults in psychosocial distress.
- Healthcare professionals are required to investigate child safety in at-risk families.
Observation:
- Two cases illustrate child check implementation in an accident and emergency (A&E) setting.
- Case A: A child witnessed domestic violence (DV); family referred to social care.
- Case B: A mother with suspected DV injuries refused assessment for her child, prompting referral to Youth Care.
Findings:
- Child checks are crucial for identifying children exposed to parental psychosocial problems.
- Early intervention and social support are vital for affected children's well-being.
Implications:
- Mandatory child checks enhance child protection in healthcare settings.
- Integrating psychosocial assessments safeguards children from domestic violence and parental distress.
Abstract:
In 2013, the Dutch Government mandated a new policy stating that all healthcare professionals caring for adults in difficult psychosocial situations should always investigate the safety of any children involved. We describe two cases of such 'child checks' in the accident and emergency department (A&E). Patient A, a 10-year-old girl, was referred to the outpatient paediatric department (OPD) after her mother had attended the A&E as a victim of domestic violence (DV). The child had witnessed DV on multiple occasions. The family were referred to voluntary social and psychiatric healthcare. Patient B, a 46 year-old woman, attended the A&E with serious injuries, and said she had tripped over. The A&E physician suspected that the injuries were caused by DV, and the mother and her 9-year-old daughter were referred to the OPD. However, the mother refused to attend, and the family was reported to the Youth Care Office. Because parents' psychosocial problems, such as DV, can seriously affect children, their safety should always be investigated by performing a 'child check'.