What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse occurs when a child is deliberately harmed by a parent or caregiver, or when a parent or caregiver fails to protect a child in their care. There are four different kinds of abuse:

Neglect

Most parents and caregivers do not intend to neglect their children. Neglect usually results from a lack of knowledge about appropriate care for children; lack of knowledge about child development; or an inability to appropriately meet a child's needs. Neglect is the failure to meet a child's basic need for food, clothing, shelter, sleep, medical care, education and protection from harm. This includes children who are left alone in a car, children who are left alone after school and children who are left alone for prolonged periods of time without suitable supervision or with an inadequate baby sitter.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is any deliberate use of physical force either by hand or by belt, stick or other object that results or could result in an injury to the child.

The signs and indicators of abuse may include but are not limited to those that follow. Injuries may include: bruises, welts, cuts, fractures, burns or internal injuries.

Physical abuse can be one or two isolated incidents or can occur over a prolonged period of time. It is important to realize that the presence of any one indicator is not conclusive proof that a child has been abused. In most instances, abused children will exhibit a number of behavioural indicators.

Behavioural indicators:

• cannot recall how injuries occurred or offers an inconsistent explanation
• wary of adults
• may cringe or flinch if touched unexpectedly
• infants may display a vacant stare
• extremely aggressive or extremely withdrawn
• indiscriminately seeks affection
• extremely compliant and/or eager to please

Handling babies roughly, or shaking babies; whether in anger or in playfulness; is extremely dangerous. Shaking can cause serious injury including brain damage, blindness and even death.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used for the sexual gratification of an adult or an older child, whether or not the child is said to have consented.

According to the Child and Family Services Act, sexual abuse is any sexual exploitation of a child by someone having charge of the child - parent or caregiver. Sexual abuse is also sexual exploitation by another person where the person with responsibility (parent or caregiver) should be aware of the possibility of abuse and fails to protect the child.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is behaviour on the part of the parent or caregiver that attacks a child's emotional development and sense of self worth. It can make a child feel unwanted, unloved, useless and unworthy. Emotional abuse can include placing unreasonable demands on a child, and/or involve a pattern of criticizing, teasing, insulting, rejecting, ignoring or isolating a child. Parents who do not provide their child with love, emotional support and guidance can also be considered emotionally abusive.

Domestic Violence

All referrals are universally screened for the presence of domestic violence. A referral in which the only allegation is exposure to domestic violence does not in itself meet the definition of a child in need of protection under the Child and Family Services Act. When receiving a report regarding domestic violence, the primary focus is on gathering information and assessing how the violence has resulted in or is raising the risk of abuse or neglect as defined in the Child and Family Services Act.