The role of primary health care providers in identifying and referring child victims of family violence

Maxwell, Gabrielle

The role of primary health care providers in identifying and referring child victims of family violence Maxwell, Gabrielle; Barthauer, Linda; Julian, Rae - Wellington Office of the Commissioner for Children 2000 - 35 p. ; computer file : PDF format (114Kb)

This study investigated how general practitioners (GPs) and Plunket nurses respond to and assess suspected cases of family violence involving children. A postal survey collected data from 381 GPs and Plunket nurses. Barriers to investigating incidents of child abuse are identified in the article, including the possibility of the patient terminating contact if the case was investigated. This article discusses s59 of the Crimes Act (1961) in relation to how it creates conflict for health practitioners when determining whether a child has been abused or not. How GPs and Plunket nurses respond when the presenting client is of another culture is also explored. Finally, the article highlights that health practitioners feel they need more information about child abuse, including indicators and the legalities of reporting abuse.

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