Are abused babies protected from further abuse?

B A Ellaway; E H Payne; K Rolfe; F D Dunstan; A M Kemp; I Butler; J R Sibert

doi:10.1136/adc.2003.035493

Are abused babies protected from further abuse?

Arch Dis Child. 2004 Sep;89(9):845-6. doi: 10.1136/adc.2003.035493.

Authors

B A Ellaway¹, E H Payne, K Rolfe, F D Dunstan, A M Kemp, I Butler, J R Sibert

Affiliation

¹ Department of Child Health and Epidemiology, Cardiff University, Wales College of Medicine, Academic Centre, Llandough Hospital, Wales, UK.

Abstract

A cohort of 69 physically abused babies under 1 year was followed for three years after the incident. Of the 49 babies who returned home following child protection investigations, 15 were further abused in the three year period, a re-abuse rate of 31%, which is grossly higher than the abuse rate in the general population.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child Abuse / prevention & control*
Child Abuse / statistics & numerical data
Child Health Services / standards
Cohort Studies
Humans
Infant
Risk Factors
Siblings