Over the past twenty years there has been a much sharper focus on how to support families before a crisis arises,
and on how to intervene when a child is in need of protection. There is a fine judgement to be achieved in
ensuring that a child’s right to be kept safe is balanced with the right of parents to bring up their child without
undue interference by the State. Defining child abuse is complex as it involves an interpretation of which acts
or behaviours towards a child are inappropriate, and an estimation of the amount of harm suffered by a child.
There are specific criminal laws which provide a clear benchmark of what is inappropriate behaviour, such as
the rape of a child. But in other instances the civil law focuses on whether the child has suffered harm as a
consequence of parental behaviour (or inaction), and whether the harm is significant or not, such as when
concerns exist about parental substance misuse or domestic violence. Children may be at risk of experiencing
harm from a range of people, for example parents; siblings; extended family members; family friends; peers;
adults in positions of trust; and strangers. Contrary to some media representations, children are at most risk
from those who are known to them, rather than strangers. However, there are a very small group of individuals
who pose a significant risk to any child they may have contact with, and recent improvements in the criminal
justice led arrangements for monitoring and managing adults who pose a risk to children are essential in
complementing the child protection system.