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EDU 200-01

Adrianne Rollins
March 21, 2016

Child Abuse and Neglect Essay

Child abuse has different variations. There is verbal, sexual, neglect, physical, medicinal,
emotional and psychological abuse. There is also the other category which involves
abandonment, drug addiction, and many other kinds of abuse. Being a teacher or a person
involved with children it is mandatory that you report abuse or thoughts of abuse. There are
many signs and characteristics of a child that has been in an abusive situation. The reporter of the
abuse has to also keep in mind that a single sign does not necessarily mean abuse.

By federal law, child abuse and neglect is defined as maltreatment that can result in
death, physical or emotional harm, sexual exploitation or abuse, and or a failure to act or an act
that can result in imminent risk of danger. Federal and state children protection laws refers to
cases of danger or harm to a child that was primarily caused by caregivers or parents. Some
states also include a childs witnessing a domestic dispute as a form of abuse or neglect. Within
the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, each state is responsible for their own definition
of what child abuse and neglect is. Physical abuse can be described as kicking, biting, stabbing,
punching and etcetera in a non-accidental form or fashion that may result in bodily harm or even
death of a child or children. Neglect can be the failure to parent or give proper child care to
provide a childs basic needs. An example of childrens neglect can be the failure to provide
shelter, food, proper clothing, medical attention, to educate and even inattentive to a childs
emotional needs.

In some cases, cultural differences and values may even weigh in on a child abuse or
negligence case. Other factors may be the standard of childcare in that society and or the poverty
of the parents or caregiver that maybe involved in the maltreatment of children. The poverty and
the standard of childcare may be indicators that the family or the child is in danger and needs
help. Not all cases of negligence is due to intentionally hurt the child or children. In some cases
the parents or caregivers may not be financially stable or may have some other issues that are out
of their control.

While working to not only working to educate children, but to ensure their safety
educators have to learn the signs of abuse and neglect towards their students if it is happening. It
is important to recognize situations and possible symptoms at a high risk for maltreatment
against children. Some children will be more forth coming and directly tell someone that they
trust that they have been mistreated. For other children it may not be so easy for them and
will be afraid to do so. Signs that a child has been mistreated are sudden behavior in school or
behavior that arent normal for the child, the child hasnt received medical care for an injury
brought to the parents or caregivers attention, has difficulty paying attention while learning and
doesnt have signs of a learning disability and many other signs. The parents may blame the
child for having behavioral problems at school or at home, shows very little if any concern for
the child, and may ask teachers or other caregivers to discipline the child in harsh ways if they
are involved in the mistreatment of a child. When signs like these examples are brought to a
teacher or caregivers attention they are required by law to report it.

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