CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT Deborah Kelley March 22, 2012

Key Terms Child Abuse – occurs when non-accidental injury is inflicted on a child. The injury may be physical, sexual, or emotional in nature. Child Neglect – is the failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.

Types of Abuse Physical – Results in visible injury to the child’s body. Sexual – Occurs when a person older than the child uses the child to fulfill his/her own sexual desires. Emotional – Generally committed when an adult chronically says things that hurt a child. The language may be foul, vulgar, or demeaning. Ridiculing, tormenting, and inhumane teasing by a parent or caregiver are considered to be emotionally abused.

Signs of Abuse/Neglect Unexplained injuries Evidence of malnutrition or dehydration Evidence of repeated skin injuries or bone fractures Unusual sexual knowledge for the age of the child Evidence of being given inappropriate food, beverages, or drugs Appearance of unusual fear Differences in emotional makeup from other children – low self-esteem

Who are the abused and abusers? Who are the abused? – Child abuse and neglect happen in all neighborhoods and to children of all races and economic backgrounds. Who are the Abusers? – Parents – Caregivers – Relatives – Friends – Community Members – Anyone

Reporting Suspected Abuse States have laws that require those who work with children to report circumstances that might involve abuse or neglect. Act in good faith and only report those conditions that cause you to have genuine fear for a child’s health or welfare. Make a report whether it involves a parent or a fellow staff member. Call a child abuse hotline (# A- CHILD or ) or notifying the child welfare agency.

Prevention Recognize Report cases of suspected child abuse There is NO EXCUSES for child abuse! Factors associated with abuse or neglect are: Suffer from low self-esteem Poor coping skills Lack of knowledge about parenting and appropriate care What can people do? – Take child care workshops – Join support group (parents anonymous) – Refer people to community resources

Celebrities Oprah Whinfrey Suzzane Somers Queen Latiffa Marilyn Manson Drew Barrymore

Statistics and Facts A report of child abuse is made every 10 minutes. 5 children die every day. Occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. 30% of the abused children will abuse their own children. 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.

Statistics Continued 14% of all men in prison in the USA were abused as children. 36% of all women in prison were abused as children. Children who experience child abuse and neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime. Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy. Abused teens are less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs. Children whose parents abuse alcohol and other drugs are three times more likely to be abused and more than four times more likely to be neglected than children from non- abusing families.

Check for Completion of the Fill in the Blanks 1.Define key terms 2.List and describe the types of abuse 3.List the signs of abuse/neglect 4.State who is abused and who the abusers are 5.Sequence the reporting suspected abuse steps 6.Describe ways of preventing child abuse 7.Identify celebrities who have been abused as children 8.List the statistics and facts known about child abuse/neglect.

Evaluation A. What did we learn – Statistics were staggering – Who to call if we have suspicions B. How will we use this information in the future? – We could help prevent or possible help a child from being abused or becoming an abuser C. What would we change about the project? – Less slides – More time How would you check for understanding? – Give a test – Randomly ask students for answers (using a 3 second wait time)

You Matter and Can Make a Difference in a Child’s Life!