2740
Liverpool Health Service, Sydney, Australia but names will never hurt me…” Childhood
injuries are often not as obvious as broken bones or bruises. Children
suffer all types of injuries through acts of co-mission and omission.
Recognising the long-term effects on children who suffer abuse from others,
the Australian government passed new legislation directing not only when
but also how, all people who work with children must respond to reasonable
suspicions of abuse or potential risk of harm. The new
legislation demands Paediatric nurse in New South Wales (NSW) do their job
differently. The dilemma faced by some Paediatric nurses is the conflict
between their beliefs about families and their understanding of the role of
child protection agencies. The new legislation introduces the notion of
“risk of harm” for the child. This acknowledges for the first time the
potential to intervene prior to harm befalling the child. Now like no time
before, Paediatric nurses, have legislation to support them in their
attempts to facilitate best outcomes for at risk children. Under the new
legislation nurses are mandated to actively contribute to the “big picture’
by sharing their individual insights. Adding strength to the nurse’s
insights, staff from the departments of public housing, health, police,
education and training, justice, and community services are also mandated
to report their reasonable suspicions. This interagency involvement
facilitates information sharing, support and a multi disciplined approach
to child protection. The paediatric nurse can play an integral part in the
process of protecting children. This paper will use case studies to
illuminate the key elements of the new legislation and its application in
clinical setting.
STICKS AND STONES…
Waqa, ML
“Sticks and stones may break my bones