Child Protection service delivery standards

Joint CPSIG-RCPCH document launched in October 2020

•  This set of standards about the service delivery aspects of child protection medical assessments aims to reduce unwanted variation in care across all four nations of the United Kingdom. 
• The standards bring together the range of processes and procedures that make up the often complex situation of a medical assessment in the context of child protection concerns. 
• They are about the front line aspects of child protection work, hence will be of use to named doctors and their equivalents in Scotland who are tasked to ensure that their health provider organisation delivers a high level of care when their clinicians are called upon to carry out these assessments. 
• In order to achieve some of the standards, named doctors will need to be supported by designated doctors for safeguarding and their equivalents in Scotland and by clinical directors and senior managers who are able to influence the working arrangements of those on the front line of this difficult but important work.

Summary of the Service Delivery Standards

Standard 1: Health provider organisations work with local agencies to provide information for families, social care and police about child protection medical assessments for children of all ages in that geographical area.

Standard 2: Clinicians at the health provider organisation respond to requests for a child protection medical assessment in a timely fashion, following agreed documented local processes.

Standard 3: Child protection medical assessments are undertaken with appropriate consent.

Standard 4: Child protection medical assessments are carried out and supervised by clinicians with appropriate competencies.

Standard 5: Child protection medical assessments are carried out by clinicians with appropriate supervision.

Standard 6: Child protection medical assessments are carried out with the support of an appropriate chaperone.

Standard 7: There is appropriate support for the child and family during child protection medical assessments.

Standard 8: The assessment, professional opinion and outcome resulting from a child protection medical assessment is clearly recorded and is communicated to the requesting professional as well as to the family and child as appropriate.

Standard 9: There is a managed process to obtain photographic documentation of all significant visible findings.

Standard 10: Medical investigations, as part of a child protection medical assessment, are undertaken in line with available guidance.

Standard 11: The child protection medical assessment service has a peer review process which is in keeping with national peer review guidance.

Standard 12: There is regular review of the quality of the child protection medical assessment service.

Standard 13: Clinicians undertaking child protection medical assessments are appropriately supported through their job plans as well as having access to formal and informal emotional support, psychological support, legal support and personal security.

Link to document on RCPCH website (can also be downloaded as PDF below)