Book contents
- Seminars in Perinatal Psychiatry
- College Seminars Series
- Seminars in Perinatal Psychiatry
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Editor Biographies
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Gender-Sensitive Language
- Section 1The Perinatal Context
- Section 2Maternal Mental Disorders
- Section 3Principles of Perinatal Assessment and Management
- Section 4Infant Mental Health in the Context of Maternal Mental Health
- Section 5Medico-Legal Issues in the Perinatal Period
- Chapter 36Child Safeguarding
- Chapter 37Violence against Women
- Chapter 38When Mothers Kill Their Children
- Chapter 39Mental Health and Capacity Legislation in the Perinatal Period
- Chapter 40The Preparation of Psychiatric Reports for Court
- Index
- References
Chapter 36 - Child Safeguarding
from Section 5 - Medico-Legal Issues in the Perinatal Period
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2026
Book contents
- Seminars in Perinatal Psychiatry
- College Seminars Series
- Seminars in Perinatal Psychiatry
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Editor Biographies
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Gender-Sensitive Language
- Section 1The Perinatal Context
- Section 2Maternal Mental Disorders
- Section 3Principles of Perinatal Assessment and Management
- Section 4Infant Mental Health in the Context of Maternal Mental Health
- Section 5Medico-Legal Issues in the Perinatal Period
- Chapter 36Child Safeguarding
- Chapter 37Violence against Women
- Chapter 38When Mothers Kill Their Children
- Chapter 39Mental Health and Capacity Legislation in the Perinatal Period
- Chapter 40The Preparation of Psychiatric Reports for Court
- Index
- References
Summary
Child safeguarding is an integral part of the work of perinatal mental health services and the health and social care services they work in partnership with. Serious case reviews repeatedly identify parental mental illness as one of the most significant risk factors for child maltreatment and infants under one year old as the most vulnerable group of children. This chapter describes the key issues that perinatal mental health clinicians, and the professionals and services they work in partnership with, should consider when working with women and families to ensure that children’s well-being is promoted and that they are protected from harm. Learning from child serious case reviews is highlighted. There is a focus on the processes and important considerations when there is a child, or unborn baby, who is the subject of a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan and when there are significant concerns about parenting capacity necessitating formal parenting assessment and/or care proceedings.
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- Seminars in Perinatal Psychiatry , pp. 619 - 637Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
Further Reading
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