Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse includes all forms of physical and emotional mistreatment, sexual abuse, and neglect of a child’s basic needs, which results in actual or potential harm to a child’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Exploitation of children is also a form of abuse and includes trafficking for sexual or economic purposes, and recruitment of children into armed forces.

An abused child may experience many forms of mistreatment in any one incident or over time; for example, emotional harm is a pervading factor in all types of abuse. The abuser may be a family member, a stranger, another child, or someone responsible for a child's well-being, such as a teacher or caretaker.

Children in every society are vulnerable to abuse, gender based violence, and exploitation, however children without parental care and those in high risk environments such as conflict areas, refugee camps, on the street, or in institutions, are particularly exposed to violence, denial of their basic human rights, and deprivation. All abuse has its origins in power imbalance and therefore is typically associated with fear, secrecy, and control. This makes identifying and speaking out about abuse very difficult for children, family members, the community and social services, particularly when it is committed within the privacy of the home.

Child abuse can cause physical and psychosocial problems, including HIV/AIDS infection, and is particularly damaging when repeated over a period of time. Children may manifest abuse via destructive or withdrawn behaviours, developmental delays, injuries or other health problems. The effects of abuse will vary from child to child and depend on the source, type and extent of the abuse, the child’s developmental stage and their disposition or resilience.

The process of identifying and responding to abuse requires skilled interventions in order to prevent further harm to the child, and will typically include police, medical, psychological, and social services in order to address the safety, physical, and emotional needs of the affected children. Any care plan must be in the best interests of the child and protect them and their siblings from harm. This will include consideration of the additional risks of abuse that are present for children in institutions and care placements. Such closed environments are extremely susceptible to abuse since they are frequently isolated, insufficiently regulated, and lacking in adequate supervision and safe reporting procedures. It is the role of social services to screen and monitor all child placements, including institutional, kinship, and foster care, to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

It is the responsibility of the whole community to protect its children. Education and community awareness for children and adults on the risks, signs of abuse, and responses is vital for children without parental care and those in high risk situations, such as during a conflict or displacement when sexual violence, exploitation, and recruitment into armed forces are prevalent.

The literature in this section describes the types of abuse in more detail, including gender based violence, and provides example child protection procedures, policy papers, and other intervention tools.

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Gender-Based Violence and Violence Against Children: Prevention and Response Services in Uganda’s Refugee-Hosting Districts

Government of Uganda and World Bank, 2020

The Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP) analysis includes a comprehensive mapping of services for GBV and VAC prevention and response across the key sectors of health, police, justice, and social services in refugee settlements and host communities.

The Link Between Tourism and Child Abuse in Cambodian ‘Orphanages’

Madison Bingle - American University Washington College of Law Human Rights Brief, 2020

This column from Volume 23 of the American University Washington College of Law Human Rights Brief explores the links between child abuse in Cambodian orphanages and tourism.

Child Maltreatment 2020

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, 2020

Child Maltreatment 2020 is the latest edition of the annual Child Maltreatment report series. States provide the data for this report via the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). NCANDS was established as a voluntary, national data collection and analysis program to make available state child abuse and neglect information. Data have been collected every year since 1991 and are collected from child welfare agencies in the 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

Redistribution and recognition in social work practice: Lessons learned from providing material assistance in child protection settings

Saar-Heiman, Yuval Krumer-Nevo, Michal - American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2020

The provision of material assistance, which is widespread in child protection settings, has received negligible scholarly attention. This article aims to describe and conceptualize this underresearched practice and to explore the challenges workers face when implementing it. The study described here included 20 in-depth interviews conducted with social workers working in an innovative Israeli child protection program called Families on the Path to Growth.

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Physical child abuse demands increased awareness during health and socioeconomic crises like COVID-19: A review and education material

Martinkevich, Polina; Larsen, Lise Langeland; Græsholt-Knudsen, Troels; Jørgensen, Gitte Hesthaven; Hellfritzsch, Michel Bach; Petersen, Karin Kastberg; Møller-Madsen, Bjarne; Rölfing, Jan Hendrik Duedal - Acta Orthopaedica, 2020

This review provides an overview and educational material on nonaccidental injury (NAI) and its clinical presentation.

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Interventions to Reduce Violence Against Children in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Evidence and Gap Map Research Brief 1 Overview of findings

Ashrita Saran; Ramya Subrahmanian; Howard White - UNICEF, 2020

This brief summarizes the key findings from the Evidence Gap Map on interventions to reduce violence against children in low- and middle-income countries.

Attachment After Adversity: Building Resilience through Relationships

Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), 2020

This e-book from CAFO provides guidance to individuals dedicated to serving at-risk children and families on how to build resilience through relationship to help them build better futures.

2019/2020 Prevention Resource Guide

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau, Child Welfare Information Gateway, and the FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention, 2020

This Resource Guide offers support to community service providers as they work with parents, caregivers, and children to prevent child maltreatment and promote social and emotional well-being.

Explorando el sistema de protección de la niñez en Honduras

Martha Lorena Suazo, Kevin Alberto Cruz, Henry Parada - Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y Juventud, 2020

Este artículo explora las prácticas institucionales que facilitan u obstaculizan la protección de derechos de niños, niñas y adolescentes en el sistema de protección de la niñez en Honduras a través de sus diferentes etapas.

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Child Maltreatment 2020

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, 2020