WIREDGOV

A report has been published recently to improve medical assessments for children who have been a victim of abuse.

The report, led by a group of experts, provides recommendations around the quality and training of health staff, accountability of services and standards of record keeping for medical examinations and collecting evidence.

The improvements will reduce delays in examinations and ensure that they are carried out by suitably trained professionals.

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Alex Neil said:

"This Government has made a firm commitment to protect our children against all forms of abuse. This must begin with ensuring that any crime against a child receives our full attention and the highest commitment for investigation and prosecution.

"This report shows that more needs to be done to support children affected by abuse through the investigation and examination process.

"By taking forward the recommendations of this group we will provide quicker access to assessments in a suitable child-focused way that causes less distress.

"We also believe that every child should have someone to turn to, and we must do all that we can to raise awareness so that everyone is able to spot the signs of abuse and ensure young people's calls for help are not ignored or dismissed."

DCC Mike McCormick, Lead ACPOS Medical Reference Group, said:

"The investigation of this type of crime carries with it a number complexities and does so at a time of great crisis for the child victim and their family.

"The recommendations in the report take significant steps forward in ensuring a comprehensive and caring response is enabled when crimes and suspicions of this nature are reported to the Police, and our partners.

"A consistent framework provided throughout Scotland will benefit criminal investigations, paediatric forensic examinations and most importantly the child victim and the steps to their recovery."

Forensic paediatrics is the medical assessment and the collection of evidence from children and young people who may have suffered abuse. It is carried jointly by police and the NHS

The report was commissioned by the Scottish Government following a request from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPOS) to explore how forensic paediatric services could be improvement.

Further Information:

Link to the report