Home Page >> What we do >> Community >> Child Protection Good Practice >> Definitions of Abuse

Definitions of Abuse

Physical

Physical abuse is the deliberate physical injury to a child, or the wilful or neglectful failure to prevent physical injury or suffering.� This may include hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, confinement to a room or cot, or inappropriately giving drugs to control behaviour.

Neglect�

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child�s physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in significant harm.� It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate foods, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment, lack of stimulation or lack of supervision.� It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child�s basic emotional needs.

Sexual������

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.� The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts.� They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at or the production of pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Emotional�

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child�s emotional development.� It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.� It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children.� Smothering a child�s development through over-protection can also be a form of abuse.� Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.� Domestic violence, adult mental health problems and parental substance misuse may expose children to emotional abuse.

Indicators of Physical Abuse

• Bruises and welts on body, face, upper arm, shoulders and neck, consistent with gripping. Finger tip bruising/finger marks

• Cuts and abrasions

• Fractures or sprains, particularly spiral fractures

• Abdominal injuries

• Head injuries

• Burns or scalds, especially cigarette burns or burns caused by lengthy exposure to heat

• Human bites

• Swelling and lack of normal use of limbs

• Untreated injuries

• Any serious injury with no, inconsistent or conflicting explanation

Behavioural Observations

• Unusually fearful with adults

• Unnaturally compliant to parents

• Refusal to discuss injuries / fear of medical help/ wears cover up clothing

• Withdrawal from physical contact

• Aggression toward others

  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������

  Top

Indicators of Emotional Abuse�

• Acceptance of excessive punishment

• Over reaction to mistakes

• Continual self deprecation

• Sudden speech disorders

• Fear of new situations

• Behaviour such as rocking, hair twisting and thumb sucking

• Self mutilation

• Fear of parents being contacted

• Extremes of passivity or aggression

• Drug solvent abuse

• Running away

• Compulsive stealing, scavenging

Indicators of Sexual Abuse

• Damage to genitalia, anus or mouth

• Sexually transmitted disease

• Unexpected pregnancy in very young girls

• Soreness in genital area, anus or mouth

• Unexplained recurrent urinary tract infections and discharges or abdominal pain

Behavioural observations

• Sexual knowledge inappropriate for age

• Sexualised behaviour in young children

• Sexually provocative behaviour/promiscuity

• Hinting at sexual activity

• Inexplicable falling off in sporting performance

• Sudden apparent changes in personality

• Lack of concentration, restlessness, and aimlessness

• Socially withdrawn

• Overly compliant behaviour

• Acting out, aggressive behaviour

• Poor trust in significant adults

• Regressive behaviour, onset of wetting, by day or night

• Onset of insecure, clinging behaviour

• Arriving early at events/clubs/sessions, leaving late, running away from events etc if challenged

• Suicide attempts, self mutilation, self disgust

• Eating disorders, hysteria attacks in adolescents

Indicators of Neglect

• Constant hunger

• Constant tiredness

• Frequent lateness or non-attendance

• Destructive tendencies

• Low self esteem

• No social relationships

• Running away

• Compulsive stealing or scavenging

Physical observations

• Poor personal hygiene

• Poor state of clothing

• Emaciation, pot belly, short stature

• Poor skin tone and hair tone

• Untreated medical problems

Indicators of Bullying

• Almost all bullying takes place away from home

• It most frequently takes place in unsupervised areas e.g. changing rooms, at the beginning and end of sporting sessions and unsupervised sporting activity

• Child(ren) with exceptional or limited sporting ability are more likely to be the subject of bullying as are vulnerable and/or disabled children

• Bullying can occur between children, but can also occur in staff/coaching relationships with children

• Bullying undermines self-esteem

• Children who are subject of bullying might consider running away for fear bullying would never stop

• Bullying is usually perpetrated by older children and by adults whom are regarded as having power and authority over children�������������������������������������������������������� Top