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Child abuse continues to pose a significant threat to children's health. The repercussions of abuse are profound, impacting the child's physical, social, and emotional well-being, with potential long-term effects that may extend into adulthood. To assist in identifying health concerns in children associated with exposure to physical abuse, a health questionnaire was developed to be used in the setting of a forensic examination. This study examines whether children suspected of being exposed to physical violence report more health-related concerns compared to unexposed controls. The case group consists of children suspected of being exposed to physical violence, with reports to the Copenhagen police. Cases were examined from April 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023, at the Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) in Copenhagen, totaling 374 examinations. A control group of children aged 4-14 years with no suspicion of abuse was established through recruitment via social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn), posters, and word of mouth. Controls were examined from November 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, totaling 122 examinations. Children underwent a standardized forensic examination, which included a health interview reviewing health behaviors (e.g., diet, toothbrushing, and sleep patterns) and well-being (liking school/preschool, having friends, and trusted adults). Overall, cases reported significantly more concerns than controls on several assessed items. With multivariate logistic regression, adjusted for all significant covariates and stratified by age, two concerns remained significant. Cases aged 8-14 years, had significantly higher odds of brushing their teeth once daily or less (OR: 3.85; CI: 1.47-10.12) and reported low enjoyment of school (OR: 3.74; CI: 1.03-13.53). Health interviews may support the identification of children at risk. However, the statistical power was limited, and the findings require validation in larger populations.

Child abuse is a severe global problem associated with various negative consequences. It is therefore important that the services received at Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are perceived as positive as possible by children affected by abuse. Preliminary research indicates that CACs are successful in terms of providing coordinated, professional services. However, existing research has primarily focused on service and criminal justice system outputs, rather than documenting the experiences of the target group: i.e., children undergoing the CAC proceedings. The present study seeks to investigate the children’s experiences of the forensic procedures in a CAC. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 children undergoing case proceedings at a Danish CAC. The overall experiences of the children of the forensic interview and forensic medical examination were documented. Additionally, five overall themes were constructed using Thematic Analysis: Localities and surroundings, Relational and communicative work, Ambivalent experiences, Need of information and overview, and Missing out on everyday life. The findings of the current study underline the importance of the physical environment of the CAC, the need of information and overview as well as strong relational and communicative skills among professional as core elements in establishing positive encounters with the CAC. Furthermore, the results indicate how negative experiences of visiting a CAC are not necessarily directly linked to the CAC but may be a result of the children experiencing missing out on well-liked everyday activities. Altogether these results are important to consider when planning future CAC visits to support the well-being of the child.