a slap too far

...just a little aside: see what I meant (a couple of posts ago) by repeated predictions of a house price crash that never seems to materialise.

Attended my first Child Protection (CP) Case Conference on monday. It was about a girl I examined several weeks ago - we found linear bruises on her back, legs and arms as well as some old scars. This fitted with her story of being beaten by her father with various objects. I guess I can't really blog about it properly as it's meant to be confidential.

I still come away from CP medicals feeling a bit bruised (emotionally) myself, particularly the physical/emotional abuse ones involving a child and a parent. In the case that went to Conference, it was obvious that the parent had overstepped the mark, on that occasion at least. But there are numerous other cases where the child discloses being beaten but there is no physical evidence. Sometimes social workers enter the the home to find a filthy, overcrowded flat, or a depressed single parent who smells of alcohol. But more often the problem is less obvious (or indeed, there may not be a problem). The home environment looks suitable, the parents are in stable employment, and the children are doing well at school. What is then achieved by having a social worker visit the family fortnightly, forcing the parents to accept 'family support services', or even prosecuting the parents? In an intact family with evidence of adequate resources(which seems a relative rarity in these parts), do the benefits of protecting the children from suspected physical and emotional damage justify the cost of straining family relationships? Certain high profile cases mean that agencies tend now to err very far on the side of caution. While I agree completely that a high index of suspicion is required until all the relevant information is gathered, I think it is also important to back down when investigation reveals that the that child is, on the whole, well cared for. I know hitting a child in this country is illegal etc. but strong family relationships (even if a bit dysfunctional) must hold some currency.