The Truth Project, which is part of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), led by Prof. Alexis Jay, reported that:
Practitioners should therefore bear in mind that it is possible that those placed in a position of trust for children may be abusing them.
Children in out of home settings are not only at risk from abusers but from adults who fail to notice abuse or, if they do notice it, fail to report it. This is professional neglect.
In a thematic assessment completed by the National Crime Agency (NCA) Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command, findings showed:
Particular consideration should be given to children with severe physical or learning disabilities who are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Some of the practitioners’ behaviour may be well-intentioned but can be abusive. A study completed by Featherstone and Northcott, whilst it focused on patients with dementia, demonstrates this point. The Welsh researchers found examples from their study of nurses and healthcare assistants:
The rationale behind these actions was a fear for patients’ safety if they were allowed to move around freely. In these situations, the patients were being both physically and psychologically abused as they were experiencing a loss of liberty, rights and freedom of movement.
Other examples of risk of harm by practitioners to individuals with complex needs identified from practice reviews across the UK include:
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) (Accessed 5/8/2019)
Featherstone and Northcott Stories of Dementia (Accessed 6/7/2019)