NCJ Number
28561
Date Published
1972
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINES 292 CASES OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE OF CHILDREN UNDER FOUR REPORTED TO THE INSPECTORS OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (NSPCC) DURING 1970.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS THREE-FOLD: TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION NATIONALLY AND REGIONALLY ON THE INCIDENCE OF CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE REFERRED TO THE NSPCC; TO COMPARE FINDINGS, WHERE POSSIBLE, WITH THOSE OF THE ORIGINAL RETROSPECTIVE STUDY, PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER 1969; AND TO ATTEMPT TO ANALYZE SOME OF THE WORK OF NSPCC SOCIAL WORKERS IN THIS FIELD. PART ONE OF THIS REPORT CONTAINS AN ANALYSIS OF THE NSPCC BATTERED CHILD RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REGISTRY OF CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FOUR. THE FINDINGS DISCUSSED INCLUDE MONTHLY INCIDENCE, SEX AND AGE OF THE CHILDREN, THE INJURIES, SOURCES OF REFERRAL, INTERVAL OF TIME BETWEEN INJURY AND REFERRAL TO NSPCC, AGE DISTRIBUTION OF PARENTS, AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILIES. PART TWO PRESENTS A FOLLOW-UP OF THE FIRST 78 CASES REFERRED TO THE REGISTRY. DATA ARE REPORTED ON THE NUMBER OF SUBSEQUENT DEATHS, THE LENGTH OF TREATMENT BY THE NSPCC WORKER, THE LOCATION OF THE CHILDREN, REINJURIES, INJURIES TO SIBLINGS, COURT PROCEEDINGS, AND THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE FAMILY AT THE TIME OF FOLLOW-UP. RESEARCHERS RECOMMEND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL REGISTRIES OF CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO IDENTIFY REPEATED ABUSE WITHIN A FAMILY AND FOR TREATMENT PLANNING AND RESEARCH PURPOSES. ALL DATA ARE PRESENTED IN TABULAR FORM. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THE FOLLOW-UP, A COPY OF THE CHILD ABUSE CASE REGISTRY CARDS, AND INFORMATION ON THE SOCIAL CLASS, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, AND THE INCIDENCE OF PREMATURITY OF THE ABUSED CHILD. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)