Roles of doctors who work with children or young people

1. 6. If you work with children or young people, you must have the knowledge and skills to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect,^{2,3,4,9,11,12,13} and to take appropriate and prompt action if necessary.
2. 7. You must be open-minded when considering the possible cause of an injury or other signs that may suggest that a child or young person is being abused or neglected. For example, as part of the differential diagnosis you should consider whether an uncommon condition, including a genetic condition, might have caused or contributed to the child’s or young person’s injury or symptoms. You must also make sure that the clinical needs of children and young people continue to be met and are not overshadowed by child protection concerns.
3. 8. You should work with parents and families, where possible, to make sure that children and young people are receiving the care and support they need. This is especially important for children and young people who are living in particularly stressful circumstances – for example, because they are caring for a parent or their parent is in hospital. You should be aware of services in your area that could provide appropriate help, including, for example, services provided by voluntary groups.
4. 9. In some cases, it may be difficult to identify where parents’ freedom to bring up their children in line with their religious and cultural practices or beliefs becomes a cause for concern about a child’s or young person’s physical or emotional well-being.^* You should develop your understanding of the practices and beliefs of the different cultural and religious communities you serve.
5. 10. You must make sure your own cultural or religious background does not affect your objectivity. When deciding whether to raise child protection concerns with parents or with other agencies, you must consider the issues impartially and make sure your personal views about parents’ and other adults’ religious and cultural practices or beliefs do not affect your decisions about them or their family. If in doubt, you should ask for advice from a professional or voluntary organisation that has experience in working with a particular community. Or you should ask for advice from a named or designated professional or a lead clinician or, if they are not available, an experienced colleague.
6. 11. If, having discussed the issues with the parents, you still have concerns that a child or young person is at risk of, or is suffering, abuse or neglect, whatever the cause, you must tell an appropriate agency (see the guidance in paragraphs 32–38).
7. 12. If you are a named or designated professional or a lead clinician, you should make sure your colleagues know what help you can offer and how to contact you for advice and support.