Spotting Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect During the COVID-19 Emergency
As we tread through this new virtual space, our commitment to ensuring that our students are safe remains a constant.
Even from a distance, there are ways to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect. It is the responsibility of each of us to collaborate and provide a network of support and resources for our students.
Child Abuse and Neglect: Types and Reporting
There are four main types of abuse: PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SEXUAL, and NEGLECT.
Below are some potential signs of abuse and neglect that could indicate a child may not be safe:
PHYSICAL Abuse:
- Child has bruising, welts, burns, bite marks, broken bones or other injuries that are not explained, appear to be inflicted, or are suspicious.
- Child may report having pain caused by parental behavior, though have no obvious signs of injury.
- Child has been directly present in a room where domestic violence incidents have occurred.
- Behaviorally, child may appear to be afraid of caregiver(s) and flinch when around them.
EMOTIONAL Abuse:
- Child may appear withdrawn, sad, or emotionally unattached to caregivers.
- Caregiver is known or heard to repeatedly blame, belittle, or berate the child.
- Child is aware of and exposed to domestic violence incidents between caregivers.
SEXUAL Abuse:
- Child may describe being sexually touched by a parent, caregiver, or other person in the home.
- Child may demonstrate unusual sexual knowledge or behavior for their age.
NEGLECT:
- Child is witnessing illegal substance use by caregivers, and/or has access to unsafe items in the home.
- Child is not being supervised adequately for their age and developmental ability.
- Child’s primary needs for food, education or, medical, dental, or mental health care are not being met
NEGLECT:
- Child is witnessing illegal substance use by caregivers, and/or has access to unsafe items in the home. • Child is not being supervised adequately for their age and developmental ability.
- Child’s primary needs for food, education or, medical, dental, or mental health care are not being met
IMPORTANT: Please obtain as much detail as possible regarding any concerns, such as WHEN/WHERE an incident occurred, HOW something made the child feel, or WHAT injuries look like (size, shape, location). Ask open-ended follow-up questions to clarify information.
Administrative Procedure 5145: How to report child abuse and neglect