The Nurse-Family Partnership: evidence-based public health in response to child maltreatment

Too many Canadian children are exposed to child maltreatment-neglect, emotional maltreatment, exposure to intimate partner violence, and physical and sexual abuse. Retrospective data indicates that 32% of Canadian adults have experienced childhood abuse. There is evidence that child maltreatment is associated with a wide array of negative health consequences across the life span. These consequences expand across physical, mental, developmental and social domains to include suicide, substance abuse, anxiety, depression and physical health problems. Experts have asked for coordinated national leadership in protecting children from maltreatment. They also envision broadening the mandate for injury prevention to include not only physical injury but also emotional injury and harm.