What is child abuse?

1. What is child abuse? • Child abuse is harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or safety by a person responsible for the child’s health and safety. (A child is any person under the age of 18.) • Harm or threatened harm includes non-accidental physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse or exploitation, or emotional abuse.

2. Abuse or Accident? • Location of the injury • Number and frequency of injuries • Size and shape of the injury • Description of how the injury occurred • Injury consistent with child’s developmental ability • Accidents do happen

3. Abuse or Discipline? • Discipline is a learning process designed to teach appropriate behaviors • Abuse is designed to stop behavior through inflicting pain. It does not teach correct behavior. • Intent of the reporting law is to respond to extreme or inappropriate parental actions. Actions that are excessive or forceful enough to leave injuries are considered abusive.

4. Physical Abuse • Any non-accidental injury to a child under the age of 18 by a parent or caretaker. • Non-accidental injuries may include the following: • Beatings • Shaking • Burns • Human bites • Strangulation • Immersion in scalding water

5. Physical abuse, cont. • Results in bruises, welts, broken bones, scars, burns or internal injuries • Can be a one time event or a pattern of behavior • Can be more obvious than sexual abuse or neglect, but abuse often hidden under clothing • Look for injury that doesn’t fit the explanation

6. Physical Indicators of Physical Abuse • Unexplained bruises and welts • Various stages of healing • Can reflect shape of object used • Often on face, torso, buttocks, back or thighs • Unexplained burns • Often on palms, soles, buttocks and back • Distinct shape • Unexplained fractures/dislocations • Other unexplained injuries, human bite marks or pinch marks • Loss of hair/bald patches • Injuries on 2 or more planes of the child’s body

7. Behavioral Indicators of Physical Abuse • Low self-esteem • Limited verbal ability • Tends to avoid physical contact with adults, especially parents • Cries excessively and/or sits and stare • Afraid to go home • Displays behavioral extremes • Asks to be punished or suggests other children be punished in a harsh manner • Reports injury by parents

8. Emotional Abuse • Core component of all forms of abuse. • May occur on its own, or in conjunction with other forms of abuse. • Psychological neglect is the consistent failure to provide a child with appropriate support, attention and affection. • Psychological abuse is a chronic pattern of behaviors such as belittling, humiliating and ridiculing a child

9. Emotional Abuse • Physical Indicators • Eating disorders • Sleep disturbances • Inappropriate wetting or soiling • Speech disorders or stuttering • Failure to thrive • Developmental lags • Asthma, sever allergies or ulcers • Examples of abuse: Parent or caretaker chronically: • Takes little or no interest • Criticizes, belittles and shames • Blames • Uses child as scapegoat • Treats child differently • Restrict activities • Uses extreme forms of punishment

10. Behavioral Indicators of Emotional Abuse • Habit disorders such as biting, rocking, head banging, or thumb sucking in an older child • Poor peer relationships • Behavioral extremes • Sad appearance • Apathy • Lack of responsiveness • Chronic academic underachievement • Self-destructive behavior, oblivious to the hazards or risks • Irrational and persistent fears, dreads or hatreds • Poor self-esteem • Repeats negative comments

11. Neglect • Failure or omission to provide a child under 18 with basic needs – food, clothing, shelter, medical care, educational opportunity, protection and supervision • Failure to provide special care made necessary by the physical or mental condition of a child.

12. Child Neglect Physical Indicators • Height/weight significantly below age level • Inappropriate clothing for weather • Poor hygiene • Consistent lack of supervision • Untreated illness or injury • Lack of safe, warm, sanitary shelter • Lack of necessary medical and dental care

13. Child Neglect Behavioral Indicators • Begs or steals food • Chronic hunger • Falls asleep in school • Excessive absences and/or tardies • Dull, apathetic appearance • Runs away from home • Repeated acts of vandalism • Reports no caretaker in the home • Assumes adult responsibilities • Poor social skills • Language delays or disorders • Depression

14. Types of Child Neglect • Failure to protect • Inadequate shelter • Lack of supervision • Substance abuse by parent • Lack of physical care • Need of medical care • Inadequate nutrition • Educational neglect • Abandonment • Need psych attention

15. Child Sexual Abuse • Exploitation of a child or adolescent for the sexual gratification of another person • Includes, but is not limited to: • Rape • Incest • Lewd or indecent acts/ proposals • Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution or pornography

16. Behavioral Indicators of Sexual Abuse • Sexual knowledge or behavior beyond child’s developmental level • Sudden avoidance of certain familiar adults or places • Decline in school performance • Depression, suicidal gestures • Excessive masturbation in young children • Avoidance of undressing or wearing extra layers of clothes

17. Physical Indicators of Sexual Abuse • Torn, stained or bloody underclothing • Difficulty walking or sitting • Sexually transmitted diseases • Frequent, unexplained sore throats, yeast or urinary infections • Inflammation, bruising, bite marks, pain or itching in the genital area

18. If a Child Discloses • Listen • Provide a private time and place to talk • Do not promise not to tell • Do not express shock or criticize their family • Reassure the child that he/she has done the right thing by telling • Use the child’s vocabulary to discuss body parts • Tell the child the abuse is not his/her fault • Determine immediate need for safety

19. How to Report Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect • Call local DHS or hotline – confidential • Imminent danger – call law enforcement • Record name of OKDHS employee who took the report. • You may ask for the report number for follow-up • DHS 684-5306 • 24 Hour Hotline 1-800-522-3511

20. Information You Will Need • Name, age and gender of the child • Social security number of the child • Parent’s name • Address, phone number and directions to the child’s home • Parent’s place of employment • Whereabouts of the child and parents • Description of the suspected abuse • Current condition of the child

21. School Related Reporting Issues • Reporting is an individual responsibility. • Oklahoma Law is very clear that professionals who maintain strict ethical guidelines related to confidentiality are required to report child abuse and neglect. • It is the responsibility of DHS, not the school, to notify parents that a child was interviewed at the school. • Teachers, counselors, staff, etc should NOT try to investigate a child’s situation beyond determining whether there is reason to believe the child is being abused or neglected,or is in danger of being abused or neglected • Inform your principal that you are making a referral.

22. Bottom Line Everyone has a duty and obligation to report. • If something does not seem right, report. • Document, document, document • Ask the right questions • Many children are too young, too afraid or too traumatized to tell about their abuses. You may be the only one to whom they can reach out. • Your students are depending on you.