Detecting child abuse can be a difficult and thankless job.

It is said that the actual incidence of child abuse in most countries tends to be about ten percent higher than the number of cases that are reported.

But how do you investigate child abuse?

In Bermuda, the Department of Child and Family Services, within the Ministry of Health, has the responsibility for investigating. It is the stuff of nightmares.

?We are a child protection agency,? department supervisor Glenda Edwards said. ?We deal with newborns up until 18 years old, and our responsibility is to investigate allegations referred to us regarding abuse (physical, sexual or emotional), behavioural problems and neglect and make decisions about whether or not the child is safe within their family.?

The department is heavily reliant on the public for cooperation.

?We only get referrals as a result of the community identifying suspected cases and we expect the professionals in particular to make referrals,? said Mrs. Edwards.

Under the Children?s Act 1998 there are penalties including fines and, ultimately, imprisonment for not reporting cases of child abuse.

Immediately after the Act was legislated, the department received over 100 more reports than it would in an average year.

In 2002, 555 cases of suspected child abuse were reported to Child and Family Services, but that number tapered back down to 443 in 2003 ? a number closer to the average.

The number of actual child abuse cases in 2003 was 268 after investigation.

Child and Family Services encourages people suspecting child abuse to report it immediately. The longer someone waits, the more damage can be done.

People are protected under the Act, Mrs. Edwards said. ?If they have a reasonable suspicion, they cannot be held liable (for making a report) .?

But the public should leave the investigation to the professionals, she warned. ?It?s not up to you to figure it out.?

That can contaminate the Family Services/Police investigation, she added.

Children are less likely to talk and the suspected abuser will often have a response ready for authorities.

Day care centres and schools are a large source of the referrals, Mrs. Edwards said.

?From the very beginning they tell parents it?s nothing personal, but they can be held liable. They don?t have to check into it, just report it. Parents need to know that?s a part of it.?

That also sends a message to parents, she said ? that child abuse can and does happen.

Parents also need to be vigilant about the quality of care their child is receiving at school.

That includes ensuring the facility is registered and licensed. A place with an open-door policy is also key.

?You should be able to go in at anytime,? Child and Family Services intake coordinator Maureen Bell said. ?Some places, they meet you at the door and tell you to come back later. That?s not on.?

The majority of the cases the department deals with are cases of neglect. Police are not usually brought in for neglect cases unless the case is particularly severe or involves an extremely young child.

Neglect can stem from parents with substance abuse problems, domestic abuse, or housing and financial issues.

Parents forced to work two or three jobs to pay the rent often end up leaving their kids at home ? alone and unsupervised.

When a case of suspected child abuse is reported to the department, it must first be investigated to determine the extent of the abuse.

The responsibility for that investigation falls with the intake team in conjunction with the Bermuda Police Service.

During the investigation, Ms Bell said, ?the ultimate goal is to protect the child?.

For that reason, if the parent is the suspected abuser, Police will bring the child to Child and Family Services for questioning before the parents are approached in an effort to protect the child.

In cases where the parent is not suspected, they are the ones who bring the children in to the department.

If it is determined the case is legitimate, Child and Family Services then has to determine how to best ensure the child?s safety.

Every effort is made to make the child feel secure, and the last resort is to apply to Family Court to have the child removed from their home.

A strong mandate of the department is to keep families together, so attempts are first made to place the child with another family member.

If that is not possible, the department tries to keep the child with someone they know in their community, and the last resort is private foster parents.

Where the child is in immediate danger, this happens as soon as possible and the court has to sanction the move. Family Services has an arrangement with Family Court to hold emergency hearings on the same day or the next day if the child has to be removed.

Once the child is removed from danger, it is up to the Police to proceed with their investigation. Child and Family Services, however, make sure the child is safe during that process. ?It could be quick, or it could take months (to complete an investigation),? Ms Bell said.

Usually the court will hold hearings every three months or so to get updates on the investigation and the progress of the child.

Once investigation is completed, the intervention team takes over to conduct follow-up for the child with a plan of care.

Department workers are constantly going back to court for updates.

?The court wants to know what the problem is and what we are doing about it,? Ms Bell said. ?It gives structure and can allow for controls such as curfews.?

? See tomorrow?s paper for more stories on protecting Bermuda?s children.