T. Squires et A. Busuttil, CHILD FATALITIES IN SCOTTISH HOUSE FIRES 1980-1990 - A CASE OF CHILD NEGLECT, Child abuse & neglect, 19(7), 1995, pp. 865-873
This paper considers 168 child (< 17 years) fatalities killed in house
fires in Scotland. Data were obtained from the records retained by th
e procurators fiscal, as part of a survey into all Scottish fire fatal
ities during the period 1980 to 1990. Although these fires were genera
lly perceived as being tragic ''accidents,'' we conclude that they wer
e largely a direct result of the activities of adults in the home. We
analyze this in terms of contemporaneous supervision and the child-car
e environment. The role of alcohol in domestic fires is particularly i
mportant. Behavioral patterns of parents and caregivers are seen to be
placing children in a very high risk category and the fatality rate c
ould be significantly reduced if behavior was modified to reduce the r
isk. Whether these considerations imply ''neglect'' is partly a questi
on of definition. It is important to recognize that the fire safety me
ssage could usefully be integrated within a more general child care or
family welfare scheme. Front line professionals in these fields are i
deally placed to convey this message and to make a contribution toward
s reducing the risk of children being killed or injured in fire.