Baltimore’s paediatricians don't just treat violence—they prevent it

Training paediatricians to screen parents for risk factors correlated to child abuse slashed referrals to child protection services by 31% in the US. Safe Environments for Every Kid (SEEK) is a four-stage screening procedure that identifies at-risk families. By asking new parents to fill out a short questionnaire while they wait to see a doctor, paediatricians get a snapshot into the life of the parent and thus the safety of the child. Then, they can refer parents to social services or create plans of action to keep children safe.