Child abuse fueled by poverty and lack of support – paediatrician

NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand Herald

By Anne-Marie Emerson of the Wanganui Chronicle

6:08 PM Wednesday Jan 2, 2013

Poverty and lack of support are two factors that must dealt with if New Zealand is to successfully tackle the problem of child abuse, according to Wanganui paediatrician David Montgomery.

Dr Montgomery is the clinical head of the paediatric ward at Wanganui Hospital and is also the clinical leader of the children’s emergency department at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital, so he is no stranger to dealing with cases of child abuse.

He said while child abuse and neglect can happen in any sector of society, it’s more likely to happen when a family’s resources are stretched.

“There are clear linkages between the socio-economic situation that families find themselves in and child abuse,” Dr Montgomery said.

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