Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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![[Read Rapid Response]](/icons/misc/sectionDOWN.gif)
Child protection is everyone's responsibility
- Lalith E Chandrakantha, Andrew William (2 April 2004)
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Re: Child protection is everyone's responsibility
- Ashok Beckaya (9 April 2004)
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Professional Responsibility to Our Children!
- Debra Luptak (28 April 2004)
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General Practitioner involvement in Child Protection
- Peter Martin Winterton (19 May 2004)
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Lalith E Chandrakantha, consultant community paediatrician Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD, Andrew William
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Dear Sir We were deeply concerned to read Dr Beckaya’s letter “Reluctance in Child Protection must be for several reasons”(1). Child Protection is not the sole responsibility of paediatricians. It is the responsibility of anyone who works with children and of society as a whole. However due to the nature of the child abuse, at this present time it is the paediatrician who provides leadership in child protection to other health professionals. Those distinct and specifically defined leadership roles include “named doctor” and “designated doctor” for child protection. We were concerned what we would assume to be Beckaya’s own local experience regarding child protection. Perhaps Dr Beckaya’s health authority would be able to respond to this very serious claim? All those who work in paediatrics have a professional duty and responsibility towards the protection of children. If a paediatrician is reluctant to protect children who they see, it is not a fault of training but a major failure in their selection for a career in paediatrics. Where paediatricians either through choice or ignorance deliberately turn a blind eye regarding child protection raises a very serious concern about their suitability to work as a paediatrician. The Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health and the British Association for Community Child Health recommend a detailed programme of training in Child Protection for all grades of paediatricians. If Dr Beckaya has found difficulties in accessing a suitable training, it should have been raised with supervising consultants. During this difficult time of sustained attacks against paediatricians working in this field, we should remember that the overwhelming majority of paediatricians have made enormous sacrifices in safeguarding children and continue to provide this invaluable service. 1. Beckaya A. Reluctance in child protection must be for several reasons. BMJ 2004; 328:767 Competing interests: None declared |
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Ashok Beckaya, Staff Paediatrcian Epsom & St. Helier University Hospitals Trust,KT18 7EG
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Dear Sir I read with interest, Dr Lalith E Chandrakantha's rapid response to my letter, Reluctance in child protection must be for several reasons published in BMJ 2004;328:767. I'm afraid, Dr Chandrakantha, has not only completely misinterpreted my comments but also gone over the top with the response. I have never suggested that paediatricians in the UK are turning a blind eye regarding child protection. Indeed, if this was the case, paediatricians would be failing in their duty towards the protection of children. It is true to say that most paediatricians are reluctant & frightened away from child protection work in recent times for obvious reasons & this point is supported by the information from our college which suggests that 30% of "designated doctor" posts are unfilled. I would like to point out to Dr Chandrakantha that, in my local department, child protection issues are handled with admirable competence & professionalism by all are paediatricians and over the years we have had an excellent leadership provided by successive designated paediatricians. Indeed, in recent years our paediatric department has earned the distinction of an extremely well balanced unit, judging by the positive & humbling feedback from our trainees as well as local and international medical students. The recent college visit team were clearly impressed with the progress our unit has made. This has only been possible due to the hard work of all the paediatricians in our department. I would like to invite Dr Chandrakantha to visit our department to see for himself/herself how our unit works as a great team. Last but not the least, I do believe that there are training issues with respect to child protection work, particularly, amongst some hospital paediatricians, although community paediatricians by an large are more confident & better trained in this area. Ashok Beckaya,Staff Paediatrcian Competing interests: None declared |
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Debra Luptak, Survivor of Child Abuse 15349 Wilderness Ridge Road Prior Lake, MN 55372
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I am a surviving adult of child abuse. My trademark "One Survivor's Voice for Millions of Silent Victims!" My first book "A Survivor's Closet" How my memories as a little girl became the diary of one of the most horrific, severe child abuse stories in the history of Missouri was published Feb. 2003. The credability behind my first book lies in what I call the "document." From three medical docters and two social workers who were involved in my case. Just one of many neglects of the professionals was this...one doctor perscribed 4 doses daily of Valium to me, a 3-week old infant, who was suffering extreme trauma and torture by my biological mother, and emotionally detached biological father. Professionals in my case turned their back on me, and simply wrote out valium perscriptions to keep me sedated throughout my daily tortures by my mother. Again, this is just one of many experiences I had with the "professionals." Your article is exactly why so many of us "fall thru the cracks." Professionals, medical and social services do not want to take responsibilty for intervention and prevention of children being tortured and harmed in the family environment. Maybe this is a course that should be manitory in medical school, maybe our laws and punishments should be tougher against parents, maybe the parents should "lose all parental rights" with 1st, 2nd and 3rd offenses of abuse. Believe me, I have many creative ways to bring this serious problem to an end, since I was the abused and neglected child I can see where things should change to protect our children. We will never stop perpetrators if we continue to deny our responsibilies to help protect our children. Thank you. Debra Luptak, Author and Motivational Speaker www.asurvivorscloset.com Competing interests: None declared |
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Peter Martin Winterton, Medical Director Child Protection Unit Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, Western Australia
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Your Letter of 27th March related to the reluctance of paediatricians to get involved in Child Protection. I am a general practitioner and have been involved in child protection work for 25 years. For the last 5 years I have been the Medical Director of the Child Protection Unit at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. The purpose of writing is to agree with the author of that letter that practitioners other than paediatricians should get involved in child protection. General Practitioners are already involved in Western Australia. In my opinion general practice is at the interface of paediatrics and child protection and it is logical and sound practice that a general practitioner is involved in a hospital based child protection unit.The early recognition of child protection issues occurs at general practice and thus a general practitioner teaching and practicing in this area is effective. Peter M Winteton
Competing interests: None declared |
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