Paeds Cases · child-safety-and-social-paediatrics
Mandatory reporting and jurisdictional child-protection frameworks — OSCE
OSCE station: explaining a mandatory-reporting duty to the parents of an infant with a sentinel injury, applying the reasonable-belief threshold, maintaining a therapeutic relationship, and outlining the reporting pathway.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
Candidate brief
You are the paediatric registrar on the ward. A 5-month-old infant was admitted overnight with a femur fracture. The history provided by the parents does not adequately explain the injury pattern, and the child-protection team has been consulted. A mandatory report will be made to the child-protection authority. The infant's parents are now at the bedside and have asked to speak with you. [8] [13]
You have 8 minutes to explain to the parents why a report is being made, what it means, and what will happen next, while maintaining a therapeutic and non-accusatory relationship. [6]
References4ShowHide
- [1]Mathews B, Kenny MC Mandatory reporting legislation in the United States, Canada, and Australia: a cross-jurisdictional review of key features, differences, and issues. Child Maltreatment, 2008.PMID 18174348
- [8]Gilbert R, Kemp A, Thoburn J, Sidebotham P, Radford L, Glaser D, MacMillan HL Recognising and responding to child maltreatment. Lancet, 2009.PMID 19056119
- [6]Flaherty EG, Sege R Barriers to physician identification and reporting of child abuse. Pediatric Annals, 2005.PMID 15948346
- [13]Lindberg DM, Beaty B, Juarez-Colunga E, Wood JN, Runyan DK Testing for abuse in children with sentinel injuries. Pediatrics, 2015.PMID 26438705