Child abuse and neglect in Quebec: program of the child protection clinic of Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal

In Quebec, the Child's Protection law protects the child from birth until 18 years of age when child abuse or neglect is suspected Since 1990, the program of the Child Protection Clinic of Sainte-Justine Hospital (Montreal) offers a special unit for evaluation and prevention of child abuse and neglect constituted by a multidisciplinary team including five pediatricians. About 500 children are referred each year in external consultations or from hospital units. In addition the pediatricians participate in the "programme Sante-Enfance-Jeunesse", a prevention program in the Montreal area. They also act as expert witnesses in court. Thus Quebec's pediatricians fully participate in a child's protection with their activities in different levels of diagnosis, management and prevention of child abuse and neglect. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.