The nature and scope of reported child maltreatment in euro-CAN countries: current evidence and future opportunities

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

2024-04-04

Authors

Jud, Andreas
Neelakantan, Lakshmi
Rajter, Miroslav
Græsholt-Knudsen, Troels
Witt, Andreas
Ntinapogias, Athanasios

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publication Type

Wissenschaftlicher Artikel

Published in

The nature and scope of reported child maltreatment in euro-CAN countries: current evidence and future opportunities, 2024

Abstract

Most European Cooperation on Science and Technology (COST) affiliated countries aim to advance the goal of protecting children from maltreatment. However, despite the increasing numbers of population-based surveys, the development of administrative data systems has lagged. In this study, we aimed to examine the current state of development of administrative data systems in a sample of countries represented in the COST Action 19106 network, Multi-Sectoral Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe: Incidence and Trends (Euro-CAN). A structured questionnaire was distributed to researchers and professionals within Euro-CAN-affiliated countries, which captured economic, legislative, systemic, and data infrastructure characteristics. Thematic trends for 13 sampled countries were presented descriptively. The implementation of legislative measures such as banning corporal punishment varied substantially, with some countries decades apart. Almost all sampled countries mandate reports of suspected child maltreatment for all or some professionals in contact with children. In most countries, public child protection, health, or law enforcement systems are decentralized, and unsubstantiated/inconclusive incidents of suspected child maltreatment are not systematically collected at the national level. Child maltreatment data is not routinely collected in health sectors in all sampled countries. Where data is collected in different sectors, such as police and child protection agencies, different descriptions are often used. Systematic data linkage remains a seldom occurrence with only a few countries offering this capability. The call for Euro-CAN countries to develop multi-sectoral data systems to capture recorded instances of child maltreatment remains relevant.

Description

Faculties

Institutions

UKU. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie/Psychotherapie

Citation

DFG Project uulm

EU Project THU

Other projects THU

License

CC BY 4.0 International

Is version of

Has version

Supplement to

Supplemented by

Has erratum

Erratum to

Has Part

Part of

DOI external

DOI external

10.1007/s42448-024-00194-z

Institutions

Periodical

Degree Program

DFG Project THU

item.page.thu.projectEU

item.page.thu.projectOther

Series

Keywords

Child protection, Child maltreatment, Administrative data, Surveillance, Euro-CAN countries, DDC 150 / Psychology