All children have accidents, like bumps and falls, which cause injury. However, you may have reasons for thinking that an injury has been inflicted on purpose if: • an injury strikes you as odd • a child is injured repeatedly • a parent delays seeking treatment • a parent or child gives unconvincing or inconsistent explanations about an injury. Indicators in the context of safeguarding are Physical abuse, bruises to the eyes, mouth, or ears, grasp mark, and bruises of different ages in the same place. Outline bruises e.g. hand prints, belts or shoes.
They often do not want to create more of a problem or have the blame be on them. If you suspect that a child or teenager is in an abusive situation, it is your job to help. Don’t be afraid if you think that you are going to break up a home or interfere with someone else’s family. The main priority in child protective services (CPS) is to keep children in the home. All procedures are anonymous.
Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child has been abused or harmed Everyone working with children and young people should know what to look out for to know of things which they need to spot to recognise when a child is being abused or harmed. This does not mean that every sign means that a child is being abused. Sometimes signs are not seen physically but their behaviour can also indicate this. It is important that you monitor any changes in behaviour and sometimes a child could be facing different types of abuse this could include physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect. Physical abuse This is when a child is being physically abused this could include hitting, smacking, punching, kicking or include objects being thrown at them.
Trauma can be sudden or over a long term period resulting in both mental and physical reactions to it. Being traumatized can also be sight unseen. Some people to not display their emotions and it can be hard to decipher if a person has been traumatized. The response to trauma can present in both a physical or mental way or both at the same time. Children often times react to scary situations based off of how the adults in their lives react.
Child abuse as per law is defined as the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child under age of 18 by a person who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances which indicate that the child’s welfare is threatened or harmed thereby. Various age limits are prescribed by various States and 18 years is not uniform throughout all the States. Also different age limit is set for cases of sexual abuse. Persons responsible for child’s care also include employees of a residential facility or any staff person providing out-of –home care. The law is also very meticulous in defining sexual abuse.
Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child. Emotional Abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, CPS may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified.
ABUSE Tutor: Salma Hussain Student: Pratiksha Rai Tutor: Salma Hussain Student: Pratiksha Rai There are many types of abuse which can affect young people and children. Some examples are; physical abuse, this is when you are physically harmed or injured by another person, for example; biting punching, hitting and pinching. Emotional abuse, it’s when your ‘self-worth’ or ‘self-dignity’ is affected because of other person’s behaviour or action, for example; name-calling, swearing and screaming. Sexual abuse, it’s when you are sexually assaulted or harassed by another person, for example; rape and inappropriate touching. Discriminatory abuse, this is when you are discriminated by other people based on your gender, race, culture, religion, etc.
Unit 3 Understand the importance of ensuring children and young people’s safety and protection in the work setting 4.1 Describe the possible signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern in the context of safeguarding Abuse and neglect are forms of ill treatment of a child. A person may abuse or neglect a child by causing them harm or by failing to stop harm to them. Child abuse can have a huge long-term effect on a child's health, development and well-being. The main forms of maltreatment are physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. The possible signs of physical abuse can be injuries that don’t match with the explanation.
We do however, have both a responsibility and duty, as set out in your organisation’s child protection procedures, to act in order that the appropriate agencies can investigate and take any necessary action to protect a child. Physical abuse Physical abuse is deliberately causing physical harm to a child. This might involve punching; kicking, biting, burning, scalding, shaking, throwing or beating with objects such as belts, whips, or sticks. It also includes poisoning, giving a child alcohol or illegal drugs, drowning or suffocation. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of illness in a child.
Furthermore, abuse occurs in a number of different forms including physical abuse, psychological maltreatment, and sexual abuse. These categorizations of abuse are fairly common across cultures. Physical abuse often is described as a situation in which a child sustains injury due to the willful acts of an adult. This type of abuse can be defined very loosely, where abuse is defined as the illtreatment of children. However, the definition may be as specific as stating that the injuries are inflicted by particular acts such as hitting, biting, kicking, or slapping; and/or occur through the use of objects such as belts, sticks, rods, or bats.