Nurse talks to mother and daughter at desk

Medical examinations

When child sexual abuse is disclosed or suspected medical examinations can have many benefits, so professionals need to have the knowledge and confidence to share information and advice to children and families in advance.

How can these resources help you?

Medical examinations can have lots of benefits to a child sexual abuse is disclosed or suspected,  including identifying forensic and evidential findings and providing a holistic assessment of the health and wellbeing of children who have experienced sexual abuse.

This can also include addressing unmet general, mental and sexual health needs, assessing risk (including for self-harm and suicide) and providing feedback and reassurance from health professionals to children and carers.

 

It’s important that all professionals who work with children prior to a possible referral for a medical examination have the knowledge and confidence to provide information and advice to children and non-abusing parents and carers.

 

Designed for professionals in in social care, police and health, as well as those responsible for the professional development and training of professionals, our scoping review provides the latest evidence on the role of medical examinations and their purpose, whilst our film provides an overview of the process empowering professionals and families, of what to expect.

Nurse chatting to a young woman who is smiling

Scoping review

This scoping review presents the latest, up-to-date evidence on the role and purpose of the medical examination and the lived experience of, and impacts on, children and young people of having an examination.

Video resource for professionals

This evidence-informed film is designed to help professionals from multi-agency backgrounds better understand the role and purpose of a medical examination in situations where child sexual abuse has been disclosed or suspected.

It is applicable to any setting in which children may be seen for a medical examination, and is relevant to both recent and non-recent cases of child sexual abuse.

Female professional, young boy and GP around a desk chatting in a health setting

Helpful resources and links