The child and the law: The roles and responsibilities of the radiographer

Headnote

The Society of Radiographers has published a new document entitled 'The child and the law: The roles and responsibilities of the radiographer'. Val Challen, formerly senior lecturer and director of the centre for learning and teaching, St Martin's College, Lancaster, presents an overview of the content.

Introduction

Articles related to the safety and protection of children are currently prominent in the media in the UK and elsewhere as a result of, and following on from, many high profile cases including the Climbié inquiry in the UK and the more recent Jackson trial in the USA.

The SCoR 1995 document entitled 'The implications for radiographers of the Children Act 1989' was limited to issues surrounding child consent for imaging and radiotherapy examinations. This present policy document has gone further and refers to the legal framework as applied to the child and has examined the evidence in relationship to consent, non accidental injury and immobilisation of the child.

In addition, it includes a section on the important issue of looking after the children of patients whilst they are in department. The document provides advice and guidance to the individual radiographer and recommendations related to education and training. It also outlines the requirement by managers to draw up referral guidelines for non accidental injury (NAI).

Radiography managers and individual radiographers who wish to highlight the need for policy guidance and education and training in child protection procedures and containment may wish to forward a copy of this document to named executive directors on their employing authority board or governing body.

Some of the sections included are listed below.

Sections

* The legal framework

This section refers to the appropriate acts of parliament and other documentation related to child protection matters. It places emphasis on the personal and professional responsibilities of radiographers with regard to children.

* Radiographic background

Reference is made in this section to the research that has already been carried out by radiographers and others on child abuse and non-accidental injury which has informed the present document.

* Initial concerns: where a radiographer during normal daily work may have concerns about a child in his/her care

Radiographers may come across potential or actual instances of child abuse and neglect in their normal daily work...