Child Abuse What is it Child Abuse n

Child Abuse What is it?

Child Abuse n A child is someone under the age of 16 and child abuse includes such things as n n n The misuse of power An adult deliberately hurting a child Not attending to the child’s needs An adult putting their own needs and desires before a child’s Not caring for a child properly Using a child for sexual gratification

Child Abuse n Any act of commission or omission by individuals, institutions or society as a whole which deprives children of equal rights, or liberties, and/or interferes with their optimal development, constitutes by definition abuses or neglectful acts or conditions

Types of Child Abuse n n n Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Physical Neglect Non-Organic Failure to Thrive

Physical Abuse n n When a child is physically injured by any person caring for them When a person caring for the child knowingly fails to prevent an injury

Sexual Abuse n n When a person involves a child under the age of consent in any activity that leads to sexual gratification of that adult Includes physical contact such as rape but can also include taking pornographic photographs

Emotional Abuse n n When a child’s basic emotional needs are not being met and this has an effect on their behaviour and development This can include being constantly ridiculed, criticised or threatened

Physical Neglect n When someone caring for a child persistently exposes that child to danger or persistently fails to fulfil the child’s basic needs and results in health or developmental problems

Non-organic Failure to Thrive n This is a medical diagnosis of a lack of development in a child where there is no physical or organic cause, such as illness, to account for it