Physical abuse

News

RCPCH responds to EHRC report ‘Children’s rights in Great Britain’

25 January 2023

Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report to the United Nations raises a number of concerns on the health, wellbeing and living standards of children in England and Wales.

News

RCPCH responds to recent headlines on smacking

25 April 2022

The Children's Commissioner for England has said she supports a ban on smacking children in England. Wales recently became the second nation in the UK to ban smacking with the move enshrined in law in March. Scotland implemented a ban in November 2020.

News

New guidance on perplexing presentations and fabricated or induced illness in children

2 March 2021

The RCPCH has today launched new guidance for paediatricians on Perplexing Presentations (PP), Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) in Children. This updates the College’s 2009 guidance and aims to support paediatricians when involved with these sometimes very difficult cases.

Resource

Imaging in cases of suspected physical abuse in children - online learning

When managing children who have experienced suspected physical abuse, producing high quality images is crucial in enabling effective investigation of these complex cases.

Resource

Equal Protection from Assault (Scotland) - consultation response

In January 2019 we responded to the Scottish Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Committee consultation on the Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill. We support the proposal to abolish the defence of reasonable chastisement.

Resource

Domestic abuse – consultation response

In 2018 we responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on transforming the response to domestic abuse. We support Government proposals to introduce a new statutory definition of domestic abuse, increase young people’s awareness and understanding of healthy relationships and focus on the prev...

News

Welsh Government move closer to physical punishment ban

25 March 2019

Wales has taken the next step towards protecting children’s’ rights by introducing legislation to end the physical punishment of children. RCPCH responds.

News

Scottish children to be protected from physical punishment

7 September 2018

RCPCH Officer for Scotland "very much welcomes" the bill which is being published at Holyrood this week.

Topic page

Child protection and safeguarding

Child protection plays a role in everything we do as child health professionals, and is about protecting individual children identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. Our main resource for members is our Child Protection Portal. View links from h...

Document

Subject archives guide - Child abuse

Our subject guides on a range of child health topics are for researchers interested in child health and the history of paediatrics. Abuse and neglect have profound effects on a child’s health.