Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

1. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Early childhood professionals are among the people who can help prevent child abuse and neglect. Because they see children daily, they are in a unique position to help children who suffer from abuse and neglect.

2. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • child abuse • child neglect • documenting • crisis nursery • resilience • investigate • alternative Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

3. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect • One million children are affected yearly by abuse and neglect. • Abusers are often family members or friends. • Abuse or neglect can have lasting effects on the child and on the family. • Any sign of abuse must be reported. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

4. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Types of Abuse Early childhood professionals must recognize and report childabuse. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect child abuse Intentional physical, sexual, or emotional injury inflicted on a child.

5. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Types of Abuse Physical Abuse Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • Physical abuse is intended to intimidate or cause suffering to the child. • Normal bruising from play or accidents often occurs on bony areas. • Watch for severe injuries, repeated injuries, and indications from the child that something out of the ordinary is occurring.

6. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Types of Abuse Emotional Abuse Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • Emotional abuse includes • saying foul, vulgar, or demeaning things to cause pain. • demanding that a child perform tasks that are too difficult. • failing to provide a child with continuing affection and emotional support. • encouraging children to commit illegal acts.

7. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Types of Abuse Sexual Abuse Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • The trust children have in adults makes them vulnerable to abuse. • Abusers often threaten children to keep them from telling anyone about the abuse. • Sexual abuse includes subjecting a child to any sexual activity, showing pornography, taking inappropriate photographs, incest, rape, genital exposure, and touching personal body parts.

8. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Child Neglect Child neglect puts a child’s emotional and physical health and safety at risk. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect child neglect The failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.

9. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Child Neglect • Young children cannot care for themselves, so they need care from adults. • Emotional neglect is depriving a child of a basic emotional need such as love or attention. • Physical neglect is depriving a child of a basic physical need. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

10. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Child Neglect • Signs of child neglect may include Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • tiredness from being deprived of sleep. • behavioral problems. • quiet, shy, and aimless wandering. • difficulty concentrating. • limited attention span.

11. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Factors That Can Lead to Abuse • Parents have poor coping skills. • Lack of knowledge about parenting and child care. • Unrealistic expectations about parenthood. • Parents may have been abused as children. • Financial and/or employment stress. • Abuse of alcohol and other drugs Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

12. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Factors That Can Lead to Abuse • Signs that an adult may be abusing a child: Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • Sees the child as bad, worthless, or a burden. • Shows little concern for the child or the child’s welfare. • Makes frequent demands that the child cannot achieve. • Asks child care professionals to use physical discipline if the child misbehaves. • Denies child’s problems in school or at home. • Rarely looks at or interacts with the child. • Looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs. • Blames or berates the child. • Rejects the child emotionally. • Parents are secretive or overprotective of the child. • Limits contact with other children.

13. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Effects of Abuse • Short-term consequences include • injuries. • behavioral problems. • excessive fears. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

14. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Effects of Abuse • Long-term consequences include • abusive to self and others. • unable to develop or keep healthy relationships. • participation in high-risk behaviors. • difficulties in school and/or work. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

15. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect Early childhood professionals must act on behalf of children to prevent or limit abuse and to help them overcome its harmful effects. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect

16. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Documentingand Reporting All states have agencies staffed with social workers who investigate cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect investigate To look into, observe, or study.

17. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Documenting and Reporting Laws in all states require those who work with children to report suspected abuse or neglect. Mandated reporters, including early childhood staff, must Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • file a report even if abuse or neglect is only suspected. • file a report even if the adult is a parent or coworker.

18. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Documentingand Reporting • Documenting and reporting responsibilities of early childhood staff include Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • The staff member must document observations, comments, photos, and conversations. • Procedures for reporting include calling the police or a child-abuse hotline with incident details and basic information. • Reports should be documented in the child’s file for future reference or legal purposes.

19. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Documenting and Reporting Because accusations of abuse and neglect are very serious, professionals must be very careful when documenting conditions that cause genuine concern for a child’s health or safety. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect documenting Making a confidential, written record of suspected abuse or neglect.

20. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Documenting and Reporting • Documenting includes keeping records of Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • what the staff member sees. • comments the parents make. • conversations staff members have about their concerns, including dates and information shared. • photos to show physical injuries.

21. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Parent Referrals Many early childhood programs offer parenting classes that address topics such as alternative forms of discipline. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect alternative Something different from, and able to serve as a substitute for, something else.

22. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Parent Referrals • Services offered to parents may include Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • workshops on factors that lead to abuse. • support groups, such as Parents Anonymous. • community mental health agencies. • family therapy. • violence prevention programs. • crisis nursery.

23. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Parent Referrals While at a crisis nursery, a child can be safely cared for while the parents receive support services. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect crisis nursery 24-hour child care services for parents who feel they might hurt their child.

24. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Building Children’s Resilience Children are known for their resilience following difficult experiences, but they do not often do it alone. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect resilience Ability to cope with and eventually recover from difficult situations.

25. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Building Children’s Resilience To help build resilience in children, Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • give children individualized attention. • spend quality time with children to build their sense of self-worth. • talk with and listen to children closely. • give children some decision-making power and control over their daytime experiences. • provide children with a consistent daily routine.

26. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Limiting Abuse Opportunities Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • Never allow a child to be alone in a private room that can be locked by any staff member. • Teach children about the danger signs of abuse and how to protect themselves. • Give strategies for resisting uncomfortable situations. • Teach children how to say “no.” • Warn children about strangers. • Teach children how to report abuse.

27. Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect Protecting Staff • Early childhood staff members can help protect themselves from false accusations. Child Care Today,Chapter 7: Preventing Abuse and Neglect • Always supervise children with another adult present. • Be aware and respectful of a child’s personal boundaries. • Encourage parents to drop in and to observe program activities in action. • Any accusations of abuse should be documented and immediately reported to a supervisor.