K2S31 – Types and possible signs and indicators of child abuse: Physical, emotional, sexual abuse, bullying and harassment, neglect and failure to thrive not based on illness.
Physical Abuse:-
An "abused child", under the law, means a child less than 18 years of age whose parent or other person legally responsible for the child's care inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical injury by other than accidental means which causes or creates substantial risk of death or serious disfigurement, or impairment of physical health, or loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.
Physical indicators:-
• Bite marks.
• Unusual bruises.
• Lacerations.
• Burns or scalding.
• High incidence of accidents or frequent injuries
• Fractures in unusual places
• Injuries, swellings to face and extremities
• Discoloration of skin
• Shaking, throwing.
• Poisoning.
• Drowning.
• Suffocating.
• Fabricate illness of child.
Behavioural indicators in child:-
• Avoids physical contact with others.
• Apprehensive when other children are upset or crying.
• Wears clothing which conceals injuries.
• Refuses to undress for gym or in front of their peers.
• Gives inconsistent versions of how the injuries occurred (age dependent).
• Seems frightened by parents.
• Often absent from school.
• Child has difficulty getting along with peers.
• Little respect for equipment or peers.
• Overly compliant.
• Shy or overly confidant (uncharacteristic).
• Withdrawn, gives in allows others to perform task.
• Aggressive often hurting others.
• Complains of pain when touched or moving.
• Reports abuse by parents.
Family or Parental indicators:-
• Cross Reference to K2S32 – Recognition that social factors, may increase a child’s vulnerability to abuse.
Emotional Abuse:-
Emotional abuse is a pattern of behaviour that attacks a child's emotional development and sense of self-worth. Emotional abuse includes excessive, aggressive or unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity.
Emotional indicators:-
• Criticizing child.
• Belittling and insulting child.
• Undermining child.
• Rejecting and teasing child.
• Verbal attacks.
• Failure to provide love, care and nurturing.
• No support or guidance.
• Indifferent to child.
Behaviour indicators in child:-
• Child has low self esteem.
• Suffers from speech disorders or lack of adult communication.
• Lacks social skills may be inappropriately aggressive or highly aggressive.
• Verbally abusive or is cruel to others.
• Bed- wetter may lack physical or mental development or may have regressed.
• Extreme behaviour (Rocking, biting or bites self, compulsions, obsessions, phobias and hysterical outbursts.)
• Likes to be isolated or becomes isolated.
• Lack of sleep.
• Lack of concentration.
• Lack of emotion and confidence. (Shy, passive, compliant).
• Child makes negative statements about self.
• Overly demanding.
Family or Parental indicators:-
• Cross Reference to K2S32 – Recognition that social factors, may increase a child’s vulnerability to abuse.
Sexual abuse:-
Sexual abuse is any sexual contact with a child or the use of a child for the sexual pleasure of someone else. These can also involve non-contact activities which include children looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or sexual acts.
Sexual indicators:-
• Asking a child to expose themselves.
• Fondling with child’s genital area.
• Child pornography.
• Oral sex or penetration.
• Rape or buggery.
• Prostitution of child.
• Child trafficking.
Behaviour indicators in the child:-
• Child finds it difficult to sit or walk. (Suffering from soreness).
• Child has discharge, stained or bloody underwear.
• Child has pain or itching in genital area.
• Child becomes suddenly reluctant to go somewhere with an adult or to go home.
• Child becomes suddenly reluctant to be with someone, not wanting any physical contact.
• Child has inappropriate displays of affection or role play.
• Child starts to use inappropriate sexual terms, new names for body parts and may even starts performing ‘sexual acting out’.
• Finds it uncomfortable or may reject typical family affection, may change in demeanour particularly towards adults and gender.
• May reject all physical contact.
• May start suffering from sleep problems and nightmares. Refusal to sleep alone or insist on a night light.
• Child can show signs of regression i.e. thumb-sucking, bed-wetting and other signs of dependency.
• Extreme clinginess.
• Child will become reluctant to change in front of others for PE.
• Uncharacteristic change in personality. (Poor self esteem).
• Child may become very secretive.
• Disruptive at school.
• Reports sexual abuse.
Family or Parental indicators:-
• Cross Reference to K2S32 – Recognition that social factors, may increase a child’s vulnerability to abuse.
Neglect Abuse:-
“Neglected Child” means a child less than 18 years of age whose physical, mental or emotional condition has been impaired or is in danger of becoming impaired as a result of the failure of the child's legal guardian to exercise a minimum degree of care in supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or education or medical care.
Neglect indicators:-
• Not thriving (untreated illness, Poor health, Tiredness, frequent complaint worms, lice, itching skin eruptions.)
• Dressing in inappropriate clothing for weather conditions, tatty, dirty clothing that are under or oversized.
• Offensive body odour, dirty skin appearance and unwashed or uncombed hair.
• Poor attendance at school.
• Any physical complaints not responded by parents.
• Easily fatigued.
• Child very timid, shy, dependent, lack confidence, listlessness, lacks interest, lacks curiosity has poor responsive behaviour.
• Child does not often smile, cry, play or relate to others.
• Child will show poor self esteem and have low expectations of self.
• Shows signs of regressive physical development i.e. thumb-sucking, bed-wetting.
• Have developmental delay in talking, dressing, socialising and concentration.
• Unduly over or under stimulated for no purpose.
• Frequently hungry appears greedy.
• Left unsupervised or left alone for long periods.
• Not eating properly.
Behaviour indicators in child:-
• Child has poor health.
• Easily fatigued, fall asleep in class or shows signs of drowsiness.
• Frequently Hungry may steal or hoard food.
• Child very timid, shy, dependent, lack confidence, listlessness, lacks interest, lacks curiosity has poor responsive behaviour.
• Child does not often smile, cry, play or relate to others.
• Child will show poor self esteem and have low expectations of self, see self as a failure.
• Shows signs of regressive physical development i.e. thumb-sucking, bed-wetting,
• Have developmental delay in talking, dressing, socialising and concentration. (May appear in a dream world).
• Unduly over or under stimulated for no purpose.
• Child may rock, sucks hair or thumb signs of obsessive behaviour.
• Does not turn to parent for help or comfort.
• Regularly hospitalized for failure to thrive and will regress once back home.
• Cries easily when even slightly hurt.
• Comes to school hungry, may have long days and placed in various settings before and after school day.
• Child may be troublesome at school, cruel to others stealing, lying, and breaking other children’s processions.
• Break school’s property.
• Poor attendance at school.
• Child may be withdrawn, overactive or under active, depressed.
*Please note that some of the indicators of neglect can also be present for behaviour changes within a child.
Family or Parental indicators:-
• Cross Reference to K2S32 – Recognition that social factors, may increase a child’s vulnerability to abuse.
Bullying:-
Bullying can take on various forms of abuse, physical, emotional or verbal. It may involve one child bullying another or a group of children against a single child or groups against another group. Bullies are often children who have been bullied or abused themselves. They may be children who have poor social skills and do not meet family or school expectations. The abuse will normally involve the following:-
1. Imbalance of power.
2. Differing emotional tones, the victim will be upset but the bully will be seen as “cool”.
3. Blaming the victim for what has happened.
4. Lack of concern or compassion on part of the bully.
With the onset of new technology bullying can be now done remotely via the use of mobile phones or the internet.
For all abuse there are plenty of organizations which are in place to help children in these situations:-
www.safechild.org
www.childtrauma.org
www.keepkidshealthy.com
www.nspcc.org
www.barnardos.org.uk
