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BSCB2018-19-01

Published 21/02/2024

The 3-year-old child in this case suffered a life changing head injury, requiring specialist care and support for the rest of their life. The medical team found evidence of old fractures and previous bleeding on the brain.

The child’s parents were young, married asylum seekers. They came to the UK from abroad. They had been known to agencies since the child’s premature birth. Prior to the incident there had been several safeguarding referrals made about the child, and there was a history of the child not being brought to medical appointments. The child had five unplanned hospital attendances, including three for significant injuries.

The severity of the child’s injury led to an initial focus on palliative care. Whilst the child’s prognosis improved, the complexity of their needs meant it took another two years before the child was discharged from hospital.

The child’s injuries were thought to be non-accidental and the mother was subsequently charged and found guilty of child neglect.

 

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