Doctors have called for a special interagency taskforce, staffed by child protection experts, to deal with the most serious criminal abuse of children, writes Alex Dobson.
The new body would be staffed by highly trained police officers, social workers, paediatricians, psychiatrists, pathologists and lawyers, as generic workers do not have the level of expertise required, according to a new report.
Leading paediatrician David Southall from North Staffordshire Hospital and co-authors say that new legal definitions of child abuse are also urgently needed and should be based on motive and degree of injury rather the type of injury itself.
The most serious abuse would be classified as category A - defined as deliberate ill treatment with the intention of causing harm and suffering, and is carried out by someone who is fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
It is category A abuse that the special interagency taskforce on criminal abuse would investigate.
'Classification of child abuse by motive and degree rather than type of injury' available here
Phil Hope succeeds Ivan Lewis as adult social care minister
DH study reveals councils still haven't embraced personalisation
Government has slashed primary care budgets, says Age Concern's Lishman
Details of government consultations
02 October 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
