Maintaining the chain of evidence in child abuse cases

Diagnostic radiographers and their role in child protection situations—an exploration of bystander intervention

“…Factors affecting bystander intervention (2004) have suggested that radiographers may believe that other professionals are in a better position to help the child and make a child protection referral about their concerns. As the hospital team is large and varied, it may placate the radiographer into not voicing, or indeed acting, on their concerns (Davis and Reeves, 2004). A similar concern was raised by Laming (2003) who referred to a perception of diffusion of professional responsibility of child protection concerns between the various professionals.…”

“…Hawkins and McCallum (2001) note that many nations including Australia and the United States of America (but, notably, not the UK) have enacted laws which require various professions to report their suspicions or face professional sanctions. Therefore, as radiographers do not currently face legal sanctions if they do not report their suspicions of child abuse, then it may be argued that this can act as an additional social force dissuading them from intervening in a child protection situation (Davis and Reeves, 2004). Whilst there are no legal sanctions, codes of conduct may well be much more explicit.…”

“…Initially, they may look towards more senior colleagues in the same profession who may not have received any child protection training; thus the radiographer may remain inactive about their concerns (Davis and Reeves, 2004). The radiographer may also be concerned about their degree of professional influence over other colleagues.…”

“…The larger the audience, the more inhibited the bystander feels and the more spontaneity is suppressed. Consequently, the radiographer may be aware of child protection concerns and yet think that they are over reacting or may feel fearful of initiating a child protection referral, which by its very nature is inquisitorial (Davis and Reeves, 2004).…”

“…However, authors such as Alvarez et al (2004Alvarez et al ( , 2005 have argued that up to 40 per cent of professionals may fail to report child protection concerns, even when they appear well founded and that reporting suspected child maltreatment is one of the more difficult issues faced by health professionals. The above is true not only of mental health professionals (Davis and Reeves, 2004). Latane (1981) proposed that individuals operate within a type of social force field which is composed of a diversity of different social forces which all act upon the same target person.…”