Improving the recognition of child maltreatment in emergency departments in Europe: healthcare professionals’ perceived barriers and facilitators for implementation of a comprehensive toolkit design

Key Points

• The research aims to understand healthcare professionals' perceptions of barriers and facilitators related to a child maltreatment toolkit in emergency departments.
• Conducted surveys or interviews with European emergency department professionals
• Examined perceptions of toolkit components including training, policy guidance, and screening instruments
• Identified barriers such as training costs and cultural variability
• Training costs and concerns about false positives are significant barriers to toolkit implementation
• Cultural differences impact the perceived effectiveness of child maltreatment identification strategies
• Supportive policies and training are essential for enhancing pediatric readiness in emergency settings

Abstract