In Zurich: Child protection group reports increase in neglect

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Last year, significantly more suspected cases of neglected children were reported to the child protection group at the Zurich Children’s Hospital than in previous years. Neglect now accounts for a quarter of all reports of abuse.

In 2017, only 11 percent of reported cases were recorded as neglect. Since then, the number of cases in this category has increased every year, the child protection group said Thursday.

Neglect includes malnutrition and inadequate hygiene. But emotional and educational neglect are also included.

32 cases more than in 2022

According to the child protection organization, it is not entirely clear why the number of cases has increased significantly in recent years. There may be an increased sensitivity to this form of abuse, a real increase in the number of cases or a combination of both.

According to the children’s hospital, there is an increased risk of neglect among families with insufficient income. Poverty causes stress, which prevents parents from meeting the material or emotional needs of their children. Alcohol and drug use and mental illness are also risk factors.

679 cases of possible abuse

In total, the child protection organization 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 could not confirm the abuse with certainty, but also could not remove the suspicion.

The number of physical assaults decreased slightly last year, from 31 to 27 percent of reports. The cases of sexual abuse and psychological abuse remained approximately stable at 27 and 17 percent of suspected cases respectively.

Also stable were cases of children at risk (3 percent) and cases of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, where parents deliberately made their children sick (1 percent). (SDA)

Source:Blick