The prevalence of infant abuse and maltreatment related deaths in the UK

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The prevalence of infant abuse and maltreatment related deaths in the UK

NSPCC research briefing

By Lisa Bunting (March 2011)

Front cover of Prevalence of infant abuse

The prevalence of infant abuse and maltreatment related deaths in the UK (PDF, 172KB) is a short overview of what is known about the prevalence of abuse and associated fatalities specifically in relation to children under one.

This briefing summarises the relevant government statistics in the UK, looking at child protection statistics, child death reviews, abuse related infant deaths and serious case reviews. We also consider the findings from research alongside the official statistics.

The figures show that infants are a particularly vulnerable group and are significantly more at risk of death by maltreatment than any other age group across the life span.