THE FIRST EXPERIENCES OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM ABUSE AND NEGLIGENCE, RIJEKA, CROATIA

Jurković Petrušić J¹, Obersnel B¹, Obersnel V², Žakula Desnica T³

¹Private Pediatric Practice, Rijeka, Croatia

²Rijeka City Government, Croatia

³Counselling Center for the Protection of Children from Abuse and Negligence, Rijeka, Croatia

Objective: Abused children very often develop into adults with low self-esteem and lacking in self-confidence; they have a distorted view of themselves, feeling ashamed and guilty with sometimes dysfunctional behaviour.They need a prompt and complex help from different professionals.

Methods: Multidisciplinary approach to the protection of children from physical, psychological and sexual maltreatment.

Results: In one year 91 children have been treated at the Counselling Center - 53 were found to have been abused or neglected, 20% were sexually abused, 18% physically maltreated, 37% emotionally disturbed and 25% suffered from neglect. 51% were boys, 49% referred to preschool children, 45% to children of school age and 6% were adolescents. In 92% of cases the abuser was a member of the child’s family. 37% of children asked for help on their own initiative, 30% were referred by their pediatrician, 4% by their school, 4% by welfare officers and 4% by the police.

Conclusion : A multidisciplinary approach facilitates early detection of neglect or maltreatment and enables a quick and efficient communication between experts, with better co-operation with local and state authorities resulting in effective help to the victims of abuse and offering mutual support and safety necessary in dealing with this complex issue.

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