What is abuse and neglect?
A&N are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or failing to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting.
Give examples of circumstances where immediate referral into social care is required.
- Children at immediate risk of harm, inc. physical, sexual, emotional harm + neglect
- Children with unexplained injuries, suspicious injuries where there is inconsistent explanation of the injury
- Children <2yrs with unexplained bruising
- Children victims of trafficking
- Evidence of repeated domestic violence witnessed or experienced by a child; adult mental health issues and substance use issues
- Children who are experiencing, or at risk of, sexual abuse or exploitation
- Children <1yr where parent/carer have significant substance use issues
- Serious concerns regarding serious risk to an unborn baby
- Children who live/have contact with adults who are known to pose risk to children
- Children left home alone where age and vulnerability place them at risk
- Children who allege abuse
- Adults who pose a risk
- Children at a primary age who are reported to self-harm
What are the categories of abuse?
- Physical
- Emotional
- Sexual
- Neglect
Define Physical Abuse.
May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Physical harm may be caused when a parent or carer fabricated the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.
Define Sexual abuse.
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high yield of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
Define child exploitation.
CE is a form is child sexual abuse.
It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitators.
It can occur through the use of technology.
Define neglect.
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.
Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.
Give some examples of circumstances of neglect.
Parent/Carer failing to…
- provide adequate food,clothing,shelter
- protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
- ensure adequate supervision
- ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
- neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child or young person’s basic emotional needs
Define medical neglect.
Minimising or ignoring children’s illness or health needs, and failing to seek medical attention or administrating medication and treatments.
Define emotional abuse.
The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.
Give some examples of emotional abuse.
- conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person
- not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate
- age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children.
- seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another
