NCJ Number
232375
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 19 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2010 Pages: 358-368
Date Published
September 2010
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study investigated psychiatrists' knowledge of child protection issues and their attitudes towards, and attendance at, child protection training.
Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine psychiatrists' knowledge of the child protection process and their attitudes toward child protection training. An anonymous questionnaire survey was sent out to all psychiatric staff in a large psychiatric hospital. The response rate was 72 percent. Fifty-seven percent of respondents had never attended child protection training and 16 percent thought that it was of no relevance to their position. Significant differences in self-rated knowledge were identified between those who had attended training and those who had not. Variations in the availability and quality of child protection training may result in psychiatrists not attaining the core knowledge required in order to work effectively as part of the child protection process. Hospital management should work towards prioritizing and disseminating local child protection policies and procedures more effectively and consider routine child protection training as part of any new staff induction. The Royal College of Psychiatrists should consider inclusion of child protection in junior staff education programs and as part of the MRCPsych examination curriculum. Likewise, consideration should be given to enhancing the status of child protection training in continuing professional development programs for career-grade psychiatric staff. Tables and references (Published Abstract)