Zurich child protection group reports an increase in neglected children
Published: Thursday, Feb 1st 2024, 10:40
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Last year, significantly more suspected cases of neglected children were reported to the child protection group at Zurich Children's Hospital than in previous years. Neglect now accounts for a quarter of all maltreatment reports.
In 2017, only 11 percent of reported cases were recorded as neglect. Since then, there has been an increase in the number of cases in this category every year, the child protection group announced on Thursday.
Neglect includes malnutrition and inadequate hygiene. But it also includes emotional and educational neglect. A child who receives little supervision or is often left alone is also neglected.
Cause of increase unclear
According to the child protection group, it is not entirely clear why the number of cases has increased significantly in recent years. It is possible that there is an increased awareness of this form of abuse, a real increase in cases or a combination of both.
According to the Children's Hospital, there is an increased risk of neglect in families with insufficient income. Poverty causes stress, which can prevent parents from meeting the material or emotional needs of their children. Alcohol and drug use and mental illness are also risk factors.
Slightly less physical abuse
In total, the child protection team registered 679 cases of possible abuse last year. That is 32 more than in 2022. In 123 cases, the team at the Children's Hospital was unable to confirm abuse with certainty, but was also unable to dispel the suspicion.
The number of cases of physical abuse fell slightly last year, from 31% to 27% of reports. Cases of sexual abuse and psychological abuse remained roughly stable at 27% and 17% of suspected cases respectively.
Cases in which children were exposed to a risk also remained stable (3 percent), as did cases of Munchausen syndrome, in which parents deliberately make their children ill (1 percent).
©Keystone/SDA
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