Hidden on the ward: the abuse of children in hospitals

Andrew Kendrick, Julie Taylor

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    17 Citations (Scopus)
    65 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    While there have been a small number of high profile cases of the abuse of children by hospital staff, there has been relatively little attention paid to the child protection issues for children staying in hospitals. Drawing on a conceptual framework from work on institutional abuse, we identify three types of abuse: physical and sexual abuse; programme abuse; and system abuse. Physical and sexual abuse can be perpetrated by medical professionals and hospital workers, it can be perpetrated by other children, or it can be perpetrated by the child's own parent(s). Research evidence from the United States suggests that the rate of abuse in hospitals is higher than in the family home. Programme abuse occurs when treatment and care falls below normally accepted standards. Recently, a tragic case of programme abuse concerned the unacceptably high death rate of babies undergoing heart surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary. System abuse is the most difficult to define but concerns the way in which child health services fail to meet the needs of children. Recent reports have highlighted inadequate services for children and young people, lack of priority given to children's services, and geographical inequalities in the provision of services. Three crucial aspects in safeguarding children from abuse are highlighted: listening to children; the selection support and training of staff; and external systems of inspection, monitoring and standards. The recent government agenda which has placed quality at the centre of NHS service developments are discussed. Only by addressing the abuse of children in hospital openly and honestly will effective child protection be possible.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)565-573
    Number of pages8
    JournalJournal of Advanced Nursing
    Volume31
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 31 Mar 2000

    Keywords

    • child protection
    • child abuse
    • hospital
    • institutional abuse
    • programme abuse
    • system abuse
    • selection
    • monitoring
    • standards

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Hidden on the ward: the abuse of children in hospitals'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this