Violent Child Death Rates Fall in the United Kingdom

Published : February 04, 2010 :: 16:02:31 [ 1,126 views ]

Violent deaths of children fall by 40% in England and Wales making the death rate the fourth lowest in the Western world.

The latest research shows a drop in violent deaths of children under the age of 14 since 1974. This is thought to be the result of better monitoring by social workers and liaisons between health visitors, Paediatricians, GP’s and the police. Studies found the US and Germany have the highest violent death rates. The research was shown to the BBC ahead of publication in the British Journal of Social Work due later this year.

Examining the numbers of unexplained and violent deaths of children under the age of 14, it was found that between 1974 and 2006, the annual number of such deaths fell by 38% from 136 to 84. The violent death rate as a proportion of the child population, has halved from 32 to 17 per million children.

Professor Colin Pritchard from the university’s school of health and social care, reported that the findings showed violent death rates among children to be the lowest ever and were a relative success story. He went on to tell the BBC News, that thirty years ago England and Wales were the third or fourth highest child killers in the Western world, but after a gradual decline, we are now the fourth lowest.

In 2007, the death of 17 month old Peter Connelly who suffered ,ore than 50 injuries including a broken back before his death in thrust the role of social workers into the spotlight. Various health and professionals saw him 60 times before he died.

Last year saw the government launch a drive to recruit more social workers, though Ministers feared criticism in the wake of the Baby P case and the torturing of two boys by brothers aged 10 and 11 in South Yorkshire were turning people away from the profession.

The study by the Bournemouth University, examined nine other developed countries, with most showing a similar reduction in violent deaths of children,
with the lowest being Spain at four deaths per million and Italy with five.

Figures show the US as having 47 deaths per million children, a rise since the mid 1970’s while Germany was 21 per million.
Data from Scotland and Ireland was not included in the study.