Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:39:03.869Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

St. Clare's and St. Louise's child sexual abuse assessment units: an analysis of their origin, function and work practices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Imelda Ryan
Affiliation:
Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12
Carol Fitzpatrick
Affiliation:
The Children's Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1

Abstract

St. Clare's Unit, in the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, and St. Louise's Unit, in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, were set up by the Department of Health in Dublin in 1987 to carry out child sexual abuse assessments. Each unit is staffed by multidisciplinary teams and works closely with Community Care teams, the Gardaí, and treatment agencies. Assessment involves gathering information from referrers, the parents and the child at interview, and from physical examination. The information obtained is interpreted in context, and conclusions are based on the composite picture.

Analysis of the first two years' work shows that sexual abuse was confirmed in approximately half the cases seen, the abuser being known to the child and within the child's family or community network in the majority of cases.

As more professionals become trained in child sexual abuse assessment it is envisaged that more cases will be managed at local level, with perhaps more complex cases being referred to the units. This will enable unit staff to further develop a role in consultation, education, training and research.

Type
Practice Reviews
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Department of Health. Child abuse guidelines: guidelines on procedures for the identification, investigation and management of child abuse 1987. Dublin: Department of Health, 1987.Google Scholar
2.Kolvin, I, Steiner, H, Bamford, F, Taylor, M, Wynne, J, Jones, D, Zeitlin, H. Child sexual abuse: some principles of good practice. Br J Hosp Med 1988; 39: 5462.Google Scholar
3.Butler-Sloss, E. Report of the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland in 1987. London: H.M.S.O., 1988.Google Scholar
4.Royal College of Psychiatrists. Child psychiatric perspectives on the assessment and management of sexually mistreated children. Psychiatric Bulletin 1988, 12: 534540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Jones, D, McQuiston, M. Interviewing the sexually abused child. 3rd ed. London: Gaskell, 1988.Google Scholar
6.Jampole, L, Weber, K. An assessment of the behaviour of sexually abused and non sexually abused children with anatomically correct dolls. Child Abuse and Neglect 1987; 11: 187192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.White, S, Strom, GA, Santilli, G, Halpin, BM. Interviewing young sexual abuse victims with anatomically correct dolls. Child Abuse and Neglect 1986; 10: 519529.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Sivan, A, Schol, DP, Koeppl, GK, Noble, LD. Interaction of normal children with anatomical dolls. Child Abuse and Neglect 1988; 12: 295304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Glaser, D, Collins, C. The response of young, non sexually abused children to anatomically correct dolls. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 1989; 30: 547560.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Lister, ED. Forced silence: a neglected dimension of trauma. Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139: 867872.Google ScholarPubMed
11.Law Reform Commission. Report on child sexual abuse. Dublin: Law Reform Commission, 1990; LRC report no 32.Google Scholar