Exploring healthcare professionals’ knowledge of how to identify and respond to child sexual abuse
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Exploring healthcare professionals’ knowledge of how to identify and respond to child sexual abuse

Gracie Eve Lowe Children’s nurse, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England
Ellie-May Taylor Children’s nurse and lecturer in children and young people’s health and nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your awareness of the health consequences of child sexual abuse

  • To recognise your professional and legal child safeguarding responsibilities

  • To acknowledge the need for improved education and training about identification of child sexual abuse

Evidence on the incidence of child sexual abuse (CSA) indicates it is a global epidemic that adversely affects the short- and long-term physical and mental health outcomes of those affected. Learning from safeguarding practice reviews suggests healthcare professionals (HCPs) are in a unique position to identify and intervene when they suspect CSA. However, research suggests that HCPs have insufficient knowledge to identify CSA, intervene and manage the individual’s care. This article reports the findings of a systematic literature review that explored HCAs’ knowledge of how to identify and respond to CSA. The findings from the published research on this topic indicate that HCAs have limited knowledge and confidence, which can prevent them from fulfilling their mandatory safeguarding roles. The literature review emphasises the need to improve training to ensure better health outcomes for children and young people who have been sexually abused.

Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1525

Peer review

This article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

g.lowe.nursing@outlook.com

Conflict of interest

None declared

Lowe GE, Taylor EM (2024) Exploring healthcare professionals’ knowledge of how to identify and respond to child sexual abuse. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1525

Published online: 04 November 2024

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