Protecting infants and toddlers from domestic violence: Diagnostic protocol for infant and toddler abuse and neglect to be implemented to European public health systems
Infant and toddler protection from domestic violence constitutes a priority European public health issue. Domestic violence against this population is rarely prevented or diagnosed before hospitalization, as this population has limited access to other than family social groups. Even in hospitals, this particular form of violence against infants and toddlers is rarely recognized. The present project attempts to increase the effectiveness of EU health services in relation to prevention and early diagnosis of infant and toddler abuse and neglect. For this purpose, a diagnostic protocol tackling peculiarities concerning specifically this age-group, and informed by research-based evidence, will be developed. The diagnostic protocol will be developed in such a way, so that it is applicable to all EU partner countries, and the project's proposal is to be implemented in infant and toddler routine health exams. That is because most of the families in EU countries follow nationally specified health exams program during the first years of their child's life and, thus, they become more easily accessible to health professionals' assessment. In order for this diagnostic protocol to be developed, pre-existing diagnostic protocols in use in EU countries, and relevant research evidence, will be gathered and evaluated; in addition, the diagnostic criteria of DC: 0-3 Abusive Relationship Disorder (Zero to Three, 2005) will be adjusted for use in partner countries' populations and they will be piloted in a sample from the general population. Based on the above preparatory work, the main diagnostic protocol will be built and piloted in all partner countries. As soon as the diagnostic protocol is ready, each National partner will train health professionals working in public child welfare clinics on how to apply the diagnostic protocol in the context of her/his everyday clinical practice with infant, toddlers and their families. Health professionals, who will apply the diagnostic protocol...
Informação do Projeto
2012-12-03
2012-12-03
Parceiros do Projeto
- CIS-Iscte (CED)
- ICH-MHSW - Líder (Grécia)
- UB - (Espanha)
- Roehampton University - (Reino Unido)
- Associazione Focolare Maria Regina onlus - (Itália)
- University of Cyprus - (Chipre)