The sad reality is that abuse and neglect of children is not in decline. Around 520,000 children are abused or neglected at home each year. Much has been written about the need to rethink services to ensure that limited resources do the best for our most vulnerable children and families. But could we utilise more evidence to improve the situation?

In contrast to other sectors, the evidence base for what works in social care is underdeveloped. Compare this to at least four decades of evidence-based medicine. Medicine, admittedly, has had its problems. There is now a campaign for Real Evidence-Based Medicine. They want to move beyond ‘mechanical rule following’, towards more human care. But whatever the challenges in medicine, we can be inspired by its commitment to research.

The guiding medical principle of Primum non nocere, ‘first, do no harm’, is relevant to other professions such as those involved in protecting children. And evidence can support such a noble principle by pointing to whether, despite our best intentions, we may be doing more harm than good.