Child Abuse Prevention Child Abuse Prevention Month The

Child Abuse Prevention

Child Abuse Prevention Month The words abuse and neglect are used interchangeably, but each type is different. Here are definitions from the North Carolina Division of Social Services: §Abuse: intentional maltreatment of a child (physical, sexual or emotional in nature) §Neglect: the failure to give children the necessary care for quality of life Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Statistics §Nationally – over 5 million children are reported as abused or neglected every year in the United States §State wide – over 125, 000 children in North Carolina §Locally – over 5, 000 children in Guilford County Research indicates the cost of child abuse is $250 million a day or $94 billion a year in the United States. This equates to $1500 a family per year. Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Recognizing Child Abuse The following two slides indicate some signs of abuse. Consider that any of these signs alone may or may not be an indication of abuse, but more than two or three signs should raise concern. Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Signs of Child Abuse The Child: §Displays overt sexual behavior or exhibits sexual knowledge inconsistent with their age §Receives no medical attention for injuries brought to parents’ attention §Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones or black eyes §Seems frightened of the parents and protests/cries when time to go home from school §Has fading bruises or other noticeable marks after an absence from school Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Signs of Child Abuse The Parent/Caregiver: §Shows little concern for the child; rarely responding to the school’s request for information or conferences §Sees the child as “evil”, bad, worthless, burdensome or other negative manner §Demands perfection or a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve §Offers conflicting, unconvincing, or no explanation for child’s injury §Abuses drugs/alcohol to a level that adversely impacts the child’s well-being Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Recognizing Child Neglect The following two slides indicate some signs of neglect. Consider that any of these signs alone may or may not be an indication of abuse, but more than two or three signs should raise concern. Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Signs of Neglect The Child: §Begs or steals food or money from classmates/teachers §Lacks needed medical attention or regular dental care §Lacks appropriate seasonal clothing for changing weather conditions §Reports family violence in the home §Lacks age-appropriate adult supervision Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Signs of Neglect The Parent/Caregiver: §Appears to be indifferent to child’s needs or overall well-being §Seems apathetic to the child’s concerns §Is involved in an abusive domestic relationship §Behaves irrationally or bizarre when it relates to the child §Abuses alcohol, Rx drugs and/or illegal drugs Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

What can you do? §Do you suspect a child is the victim of abuse or neglect? §Do you think a child may have died from maltreatment? If you answered ‘yes’, then state law requires that you report what you know to the county Department of Social Services (NCGS 7 B-301). You can submit a report anonymously by calling DSS (Greensboro 336 -641 -3000; High Point 336 -641 -7771) or the Crime Stoppers hotline (336 -373 -1000). Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

To help prevent child abuse and neglect §Report suspected child abuse to law enforcement officials, Child Protective Services, or Department of Social Services §Help to develop or support groups that focus on parenting resources in your community §Get involved – be an advocate for services and programs that support the family construct §Become educated on healthy child development and healthy parenting skills §Help out a friend or neighbor who is have family difficulty §Teach your child personal safety §Be a nurturing parent and good role model §Establish open communication with your children Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Other Resources §Do you or someone you know need help coping with stress or lashing out at a child? Get help immediately! §Family Service of the Piedmont, www. familyservicepiedmont. org, (Greensboro 336 -387 -6161; High Point and Jamestown 336 -889 -6161) §Guilford County Department of Social Services (DSS), www. co. guilford. nc. us/government/socservices, (Greensboro 336 -641 -3000; High Point 336 -641 -7771) §NC Department of Health and Human Services, www. ncdhhs. gov, 1 -919 -855 -4800 §The Sandhills Center, www. guilfordcenter. com, 1 -800256 -2452 Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Other Resources §Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, 1 -800 -CHILDREN §Greensboro Police Department, Criminal Investigations Division, Family Victims Unit, 336 -373 -2331 §Crime Stoppers Hotline, 336 -373 -1000 §Child Response Initiative, 336 -451 -5146 Partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro

Child Abuse Prevention