Medical examinations

Home: Family & Friends: Medical Information: Medical exams - CSA

This information has been reproduced with the kind permission of the Department of Human Services Victoria. Many of the DHS booklets on this site are no longer available in printed format, but all inquiries should be directed to the Protection and Care Publishing Unit, Department of Human Services Melbourne (03) 9616 7013.

The below sections are extracted from the booklet You and Your Child.

Department of Human Services. (2002).
You and your child- for parents of children who have been sexually abused.
Melbourne, Victoria: Community Care Division.

The police or Child Protection may want your child to have a medical examination. There are two reasons for this. The most important reason is to ensure that your child is okay medically; that they do not have any infection, or injury that needs treatment.

The second reason is to assist with possible Court proceedings. The presence of some sign of sexual trauma may help with an investigation by providing medical evidence that the child has been sexually abused. However the absence of medical evidence does not mean that the abuse did not happen. This type of examination is called a forensic paediatric examination. Child Protection policy is to always obtain a parent's consent to a medical examination to the extent this is in the child's best interest. In addition, consistent with the protection of human rights of children and, in particular the right of children to not be subjected to medical treatment unwillingly, where a child is of an appropriate age and maturity and has capacity to provide consent they will be involved in any decision to receive medical treatment.

Sponsor

Department of Human Services

Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 23 Jun 2010