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Child maltreatment is a serious public health issue with far-reaching socio-economic consequences. Even in emergency departments (EDs) — where victims are more likely to present — it often goes unrecognized. Research shows that structured strategies, such as screening tools and dedicated training, improve detection rates. However, such strategies are still lacking in many European EDs. Together with Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital we focus on Strengthening Child Maltreatment Recognition in European Emergency Departments: The CAN-Ready Study.
Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital and Augeo Foundation work together to support European hospitals in improving the detection of child abuse. In 2019, a large European survey was conducted among European hospitals. It revealed that only 29% of emergency departments (EDs) have a screening tool to identify child abuse. Furthermore, in many EDs, the recognition of child abuse and neglect based on parental signals (child check) has not been implemented. The hospitals are motivated to improve their detection practices. The study also showed a general need for more training on child abuse for professionals working in emergency care. The research took place in 29 countries, with 185 respondents from 148 hospitals. The English-language study was published in the scientific journal PLOS One.
Best practices
To support ED nurses and ED doctors in European hospitals, we share the best practices identified in earlier research to improve detection. With a CAN-Ready package (Child Abuse and Neglect Readiness Package) — consisting of a validated screening tool, online training by Augeo Foundation, and a template for hospital policy for a structural approach — we aim to support EDs in Europe to enhance the recognition and management of child maltreatment.
This CAN-Ready package is now being implemented in three hospitals: Mater Dei Hospital (Msida) in Malta, Skåne University Hospital (Malmö & Lund) in Sweden, and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (Barcelona) in Spain. The hospitals are enthusiastic about contributing in this way to better detection of child abuse at the European level. The results are being studied to gain insight into the effectiveness and implementation of the CAN-Ready package, with the goal of further spreading it to more hospitals across Europe. First results are expected in 2026.
Augeo Foundation and Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital have been working together for years to contribute to improved detection of child abuse in European EDs, in collaboration with the European professional associations EUSEM, EuSEN, and the research network REPEM.
More information?
If you want to know more about the CAN-Ready study, please contact us.