• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.61-88
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to explore the work experiences of hospital-based child protection team staffs who had intervened the child abuse cases resulting in death. In order to gather the relevant data, all 62 child protection teams registered nationwide were contacted and 5 teams which had actually experienced at least one child abuse deaths were found. The staffs (hospital social workers and doctors) who belonged to these teams were intensively interviewed, and the interviewed materials were thoroughly analyzed by qualitative research methodology. The result showed that treatment delay was the most important obstacle to prevent unnecessary deaths of the victims. Some abused victims were sent to the hospital only after their physical condition had so gravely deteriorated. In other cases, custodians' bland denial or refusal to treatment made impossible the timely intervention to save the child lives. Nevertheless, child protection team staffs' reasonable suspicion and active intervention could sometimes uncover the hidden truth that child abuse was the actual cause of death. These incidents were regarded as a team's meaningful accomplishments by team members. Meanwhile, lack of awareness and excessive burden about the role and responsibility of mandated reporter precluded medical staffs' active involvement. Also, substantiating the abuse suspicion by securing positive evidences was found to be a facilitatory factor for the rapid public intervention. On the basis of these results, several practice and policy implications were discussed to improve the early detection process, securing evidence and uncovering the actual cause of death in child abuse deaths.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.1207-1215
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• 2009

Purpose:To review and determine the complications in 76 child abuse cases recorded by a multidisciplinary hospital-based child protection team between 1987 and 2007. Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the reports and medical records of child abuse cases maintained by a university hospital-based child protection team. We devised a questionnaire for standardized interviews with the victims' guardians to determine the current physical and mental status of the children; questionnaires were answered by social workers of the child protection team who interviewed the present fosterers of 24 (35.8%) children. Results:Of the 76 children, 6 were infants, 10 were 1-3 years old, were 3-10 years old, and 19 were over 10 years old. Seven children (9.2%) were neglected and 27 (35.5%) and 44 (57.9%) were sexually and physically abused, respectively. In more than half of the cases, the perpetrators were the father or mother of the children. Most children (41 cases, 53.9%) were abused at their homes. The mean follow-up duration from the time of abuse infliction was $54.3{\pm}49.2$ months, and the current mean age of the children was $8.3{\pm}6.4$ years. Moderate and severe developmental delay and physical disability were observed in 6 (25.0%) and 3 (12.5%) cases, respectively. In 13 children (54.2%), the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) score was less than 60, which indicates mild mental disability. Conclusion:A hospital-based child protection team may witness the different proportion of abuse types and patterns by conducting a nation-wide survey of child abuse cases.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2021

Objectives: It is hard to accumulate research data on adolescents' suicide, because friends and family of the suicide completers might be reluctant to share the experience. To overcome the lack of information on adolescent suicide victims, the authors examined the risk and protective factors for adolescents' suicide from a character in a novel. Methods: Krystal, an adolescent female in the novel The Casual Vacancy by Joanne Rowling, failed to overcome her unfortunate circumstances and committed suicide. The authors analysed Krystal's case based on the guideline for patients with suicidal behaviours to address the complicated situation of her death. Results: Krystal grew up in a poor and dangerous environment. Despite the environmental hardships, she developed ego maturation with affectionate help from Mr Fairbrother, an assistant coach of the Girls' Rowing Team and a parish councillor. The sudden passing away of Mr Fairbrother brought on a crisis of identity for Krystal. In addition, a villainous character raped her and her brother drowned to death, which brought her great sorrow. She felt helpless and committed suicide. Conclusion: In spite of many risk factors for suicide, Krystal was able to keep her life with a few protective factors, a younger brother in the home, and a sense of responsibility for the family. After the loss of her brother, however, she collapsed in a moment. Krystal's suicide might not only be a personal choice but a breakdown of the social protection system for the youth.