Parents are being unfairly investigated for child abuse due to misinterpretation of guidelines on bruising in babies, according to research from the University of Central Lancashire. The study claims that official guidance from health watchdog NICE, which suggests bruising in pre-mobile infants is very uncommon, has led to excessive interventions by social services.
The research found that more than a quarter of babies are bruised accidentally, contradicting the assumption that bruising indicates abuse. In one case, a mother had her baby removed from her care for over a year before the bruising was attributed to hypermobility syndrome, a medical condition that causes easy bruising.
Lead researcher Prof Andy Bilson told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme that 'social workers are in danger of having to take decisions based on really misleading interpretations of research.' He warned that parents might hesitate to seek medical help for their children for fear of being investigated, potentially putting children at risk.
The NICE guidelines are used by local authorities to develop their own policies. Of the 91 councils in England with specific guidance on responding to possible abuse, over three-quarters do not allow front-line staff to exercise judgment about the causes of a bruise. In five local authorities, a formal child protection investigation is mandatory for a single bruise in a pre-mobile child.
Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck, a former social worker, defended the strict approach, saying the public expects social services to ensure full medical assessments. However, Prof Bilson argues that the policies could have serious consequences, stating, 'If this puts into people's minds even a hesitation of taking their child to a doctors, there's a real chance sooner or later some child will die due to this policy.'
