ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the current roles and responsibilities of health service personnel who are likely to be working with children on the child protection register. It provides an overview of the range of health services available to vulnerable children and their families in a chronological manner, from preventative work to post-registration core group activity. The chapter outlines the key practice issues currently facing health services personnel as well as highlighting the many misconceptions which prevail about the responsibilities of health service staff in this area of work. The outcome of needs assessment will be the formulation of medical or nursing ‘diagnoses’ and a plan of care which might include input from that practitioner or referral to another, or other disciplines. Health visitors in particular have a key role to play with families with children under school age, as they are statutorily notified of the birth of all new babies.
