The role of GPs in safeguarding children has long been seen as vital to inter-agency collaboration in child protection processes and to promoting early intervention in families. It has often been characterized as problematic to engage GPs and recognized that potential conflicts of interest may constrain their engagement.
The research summarised in this brief sought to explore the nature and consequences of tensions and conflicts of interest for GPs in safeguarding children and how these are seen, and responded to, from a range of professional, parent and child perspectives and managed in order to promote best practice.