The case in summary The “Children under the radar” checklist has led to the hospital in Kristiansand reporting several reports of concern to child protection. The tool helps healthcare professionals decide whether or not to send a report of concern. The checklist is now to be used by 14 other health organizations in Norway, with more to come. The health institutions that have adopted the checklist have experienced an increase in the number of reports of concern. Health personnel emphasize the importance of obtaining consent from the parents before a report of concern is sent. Feedback from the child protection agency indicates that the messages from healthcare personnel are more accurate and better formulated after the introduction of the tool. – Before, we often experienced that it was difficult to know in which situations we should report to child protection. It often resulted in people leaving it alone, says Helene Heldal Tveit (29). She works as an emergency nurse at the hospital in Kristiansand and has experienced everyday life both before and after the “Children under the radar” checklist came out. Five years after the checklist was introduced, the hospital reports more reports of concern to child protection than before. – It is a good help for us. The result of the checklist determines whether or not we send a report of concern to child protection. It makes it easier for us to make the choice, says Tveit. This is “Children under the radar” A tool for healthcare professionals to uncover serious neglect and violence against children. A checklist must be filled out routinely in cases of serious psychiatry, serious drug addiction, suspicion of intimate partner violence or suicide attempts. The aim of the checklist is to find out whether or not a report of concern should be sent to child protection. Started as a pilot project at the emergency services at Sørlandet Hospital five years ago. The tool will now be put into use at 14 other health enterprises in Norway and several are on a waiting list. It is BarnsBeste, a national competence network for children as relatives, that is responsible for the national implementation of the checklist. Senior doctor at the children’s ward in Kristiansand Unni Mette Köpp is the initiator of the tool and heard about it from the Netherlands. The interest has been massive In the pilot period from 2019 to 2020, the hospital reported almost nine times as many reports of concern to child protection as in previous years. That’s what senior doctor at the children’s ward in Kristiansand Unni Mette Köpp says. The hospital has not yet investigated how big the increase has been in recent years. The experience with “Children under the radar” is so good that the tool is now being used by 14 other health organizations in Norway. Several are also on hold. Köpp says that the interest has been massive. – We have been “cleaned up” by various health organisations, emergency services and the police who want us to develop checklists for them, she says. This is what the checklist looks like that the healthcare staff fills in if neglect is suspected. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Akershus University Hospital has adopted the checklist in its emergency medicine department. – The feedback is that employees experience it as a support that makes it easier to make a decision about whether to send a message to child protection when a carer is admitted to hospital, says department manager Silje Bakken Jørgensen. Senior doctor at the children’s ward in Kristiansand Unni Mette Köpp says that the interest in “Children under the radar” has been great. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news “Sniffing” at something vulnerable Superintendent Köpp in Kristiansand emphasizes that they are keen to enter into a dialogue and preferably get consent from the parents to send a report of concern. Emergency nurse Tveit also clarifies this. – Then the process becomes easier because we know that they are receptive to help, she says. – What is it like to take those calls? – In some situations it goes well, in others it is uncomfortable. You feel that you are stepping on people’s privacy a little and “sniffing” on something that is vulnerable, but it is our duty to protect the children. Helene Heldal Tveit has worked as a nurse in the emergency room at the hospital in Kristiansand for eight years. She thinks the checklist for Children under the radar is a good tool if she suspects that patients’ children are being neglected. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Charlotte Gresaker (36) has worked as an ambulance worker for 15 years. She thinks the checklist is good to have in cases where you are a little unsure. It also helps them to write structured messages to child protection. – It can be difficult, but it is important to be open with the parents about your concern and say that you intend to send a message to help them further along the way. Mother thanked for reporting concern Elisabeth Flagtvedt has also worked as an ambulance worker for many years. Now she works as a consultant in the pre-hospital clinic at Sørlandet Hospital, among other things with “Children under the radar”. She says they have received a lot of feedback from the child protection service that the health personnel respond to the messages to a greater extent, and that the messages are better, after the tool was introduced. These 14 healthcare organizations are introducing “Children under the radar” Ahus Oslo University Hospital Inland Hospital Telemark Vestre Viken Hospital Vestfold Hospital Østfold Hospital Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital Northern Norway University Hospital Bergen Haraldsplass Diaconal Hospital Health Førde Health Fonna Health Stavanger Flagtvedt can also tell of a mother who visited local ambulance service with praise after they sent a report of concern to child protection. – The family had received good follow-up at home, financial assistance and closer follow-up by the GP. We see that the report of concern led to something good and it is important for personnel to see because they are concerned with making good assessments, says Flagtvedt. Linn Mari Berge (on the left) in the competence center BarnsBeste and adviser Elisabeth Flagtvedt in the pre-hospital clinic are happy that more healthcare organizations will introduce the checklist. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Linn Mari Berge works as a professional adviser in BarnsBeste and is responsible for following up the health institutions that use the checklist. She is happy that the interest is as great as it is. – This can catch more children who need help. We get more feedback from healthcare organizations who wish they had had the checklist earlier, says Berge. Hello! Did you think of anything in particular when you read this story or have any tips for something else I should write about? Feel free to send me an email!
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The “Children under the radar” checklist is being used by 14 healthcare organizations – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
