“Child protection training is essential for all health professionals engaged in services for children. It is not an optional extra” 
Barry Capon, chair, independent enquiry into the death of Lauren Wright 2002(8) [2].

Staff should be familiar with section 3 of The Child and the Law (SoR 2005) (2). [2]

Inter-agency communication is vital to promote the welfare of children and is the responsibility of staff within the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors(6). [2]

It is important that all staff be given training to feel confident and competent in reporting child protection concerns through the correct channels. Some members of the imaging workforce, for example, sonographers may be overlooked when child protection is given and it is important to include them as they may well become aware of a possible child protection issue during the imaging process.

If any member of staff observes anything untoward during a child’s examination, the appropriate staff must be informed. This might include any of the following:

• Disclosure to a member of staff by the child or a relative.
• Marks not previously noted such as a bruise, bite, or burn.
• Inappropriate behaviour or language from an accompanying adult/sibling.
• Inappropriate handling of the child by an accompanying adult/sibling.

Staff may feel uncomfortable reporting such details but protection of the child is paramount and it is the duty of the radiographer to report and document concerns as follows:

• If in Accident and Emergency or in-patient – inform nurse in charge of ward/department or referring consultant or on-call paediatrician and make a contemporaneous note of doing so.
• If Out-patient/GP referral – child must not leave the hospital until following staff have been informed: named nurse for child protection or the senior paediatric nurse on duty. 
• Staff must record written details of their observations as described in local child protection protocol. This information will then be recorded in the patient’s medical record.