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, will also evaluate its applicability and provide feedback on whether further issues referring to its implementation into infant and toddler routine health exams should be discussed. At the same time, Consortium's National representatives will contact National Health and Human Rights Authorities in order to discuss the way according to which such a diagnostic protocol could be implemented by law into infant and toddler routine health exams - that is, to be part of the nationally defined obligatory health exams for infants and toddlers. Furthermore, aiming to promote the sustainability of the project's results, the Consortium will create a National Network of public child welfare clinics constituted by the public child welfare clinics, which participated in the project: each clinic will nominate a health professional responsible to represent her/his Institution in a Network's yearly meeting coordinated by Consortium's National partners, where issues related to infant and toddler protection from domestic violence will be discussed. In the context of sustainability activities, the Consortium will also create a registration form based on which all cases of infant and toddler abuse and neglect will be filed and followed up by National Network's child welfare clinics. Towards the end of the project, an International Symposium will be organized during which the project's results will be presented and discussed with the international scientific community. The project's website will be functioning throughout the project, providing important information on issues related to infant and toddler protection from domestic violence. Popular press articles will also be published to sensitize the general population on the fact that banning infant and toddler abuse and neglect should be a strong social demand.

No records found.

No records found.

No records found.

No records found.

No records found.