Changing the response of professionals to child abuse.

Britain has developed a child protection system that relies on good interprofessional communication. However, some doctors are questioning the benefits to the child of triggering a child abuse referral. The system has become disproportionately skewed towards investigation and risk assessment, leaving few resources for meeting the needs of children, or helping parents provide better care. The Department of Health (DoH) is proposing a policy to redress the balance; creating a more cooperative and less adversarial relationship with parents, and paying more attention to assessing family needs and long-term family functioning. This paper examines the history of the current system and argues that, while the proposed changes are desirable, it needs to be acknowledged that they may reduce the accuracy of risk assessments. Professionals, therefore, need the backing of the general public to implement such a fundamental shift in emphasis.