Child Protection Unit

Contact

Dr Alice Johnston | Paediatric Consultant 
Alice.Johnson@health.wa.gov.au

Departmental Overview

The PCH Child Protection Unit (CPU) is a specialised, hospital‐based service providing medical, forensic, social work and therapeutic services for children and their families when there is a concern that a child has, or may have suffered from child abuse.

Our staff coordinate assessment, planning and (when appropriate) intervention strategies and ongoing therapy for children and families where there are child protection concerns.

Current and Future Projects

• Consumer feedback (parents and children) on their experience of genito‐anal examination in possible CSA cases
• Incidence and type of occult injury detected in children < 2 having skeletal surveys for possible inflicted injury
• Audit of last 5 years forensic specimens collected in cases of acute sexual assault (how often are they positive)
• Assessment of programs available in WA to manage persistent crying in babies
• Incidence and outcomes of children in WA with abusive head trauma over the last five years.