Forty years later: inconsistencies in reporting of child abuse

摘要

In the late 1960s, clinical reports of battered children led to the enactment of state laws throughout the United States that required medical providers to report instances of suspected child maltreatment to state child protection agencies. In the ensuing 40 years, a great deal has been learned about child maltreatment. However, although medical professionals generally receive some training on the recognition and reporting of suspected child maltreatment, many cases of child abuse go unrecognised and unreported, occasionally with tragic consequences.