1. Lecturer Nikki Hardman
Caring for Children
Lecturer Nikki Hardman

2. Aims of the session Introduce fourth assignment and case study
To become aware of concept of appropriate parenting
To consider what is meant by ‘child abuse’

3. Can you think of words/phrases to describe how childhood should be?

4. All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential
All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential. They should be enabled to:
be as physically and mentally healthy as possible;
gain the maximum benefit possible from good-quality educational opportunities;
live in a safe environment and be protected from harm;
experience emotional well-being;

5. feel loved and valued, and be supported by a network of reliable and affectionate relationships;
become competent in looking after themselves and coping with everyday living;
have a positive image of themselves, and a secure sense of identity including cultural and racial identity;
develop good inter-personal skills and confidence in social situations.

6. Good enough parenting
Patterns of family life vary and there is no one, perfect way to bring up children.
Good parenting involves caring for children’s basic needs, showing them warmth and love and providing the stimulation needed for their development, within a stable environment where they experience consistent guidance and boundaries.

7. What do we mean by abuse?

8. Abuse and Neglect
Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.
Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting; by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger.

9. Physical abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after.

10. Emotional Abuse
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.

11. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children.
It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

12. Neglect
This is the failure of a carer/parent to protect/care for a child
Examples of this could be poor nutrition/poor hygiene/ inappropriate clothing

13. Sexual abuse
This can be a variety of actions which involve some element of sexual behaviour
This could be sexual contact
This could also be encourage a child young person to behave sexually inappropriately
Could be exposing them to issues such as pornography