Background

Four categories of abuse

Identifying possible indicators of abuse

Their response to trauma will be as individual as they are.

Children are more likely to be abused by people they know.

Physical abuse is a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

Physical harm may also be caused when a parent fabricates the symptoms of or deliberately induces illness in a child.

Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child. It's sometimes called psychological abuse.

Emotional abuse can involve deliberately trying to scare, humiliate, isolate or ignore a child.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs which is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development.

Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.

Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
- Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment).
- Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger.
- Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers).
- Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.

They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet).

Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

These are things that can be seen from the child’s appearance.

These are things that can be seen from what the child does

These are responses and behaviours exhibited by a parent/carer that may cause concern.

These include:
- Unexplained injuries;
- Injuries on certain parts of the body;
- Injuries in various stages of healing;
- Injuries that reflect an article used;
- Flinching when approached;
- Reluctant to change;
- Crying/instability;
- Afraid of home;
- Behavioural extremes;
- Apathy/depression;
- Wanting arms and legs covered even in very hot weather

These include:
- Failure to thrive;
- Attention seeking;
- Over ready to relate to others;
- Low self esteem;
- Apathy;
- Depression/self harm;
- Drink/drug/solvent abuse;
- Persistently being over-protective;
- Constantly shouting at, threatening or demeaning a child;
- Withholding love and affection;
- Regularly humiliating a child.

These include:
- Tired/listless;
- Unkempt;
- Poor hygiene;
- Untreated medical conditions;
- Medical appointments missed;
- Constantly hungry or stealing food;
- Over eats when food is available;
- Poor growth;
- Poor/late attendance;
- Being regularly left alone or unsupervised;
- Dressed inappropriately for the weather conditions;
- Having few friends and/or being withdrawn;
- Ill-equipped for school.

These include:
- Age inappropriate sexual behaviour/knowledge/promiscuity;
- Wary of adults/running away from home;
- Eating disorders/depression/self harm;
- Unexplained gifts/money;
- Stomach pains when walking or sitting;
- Bedwetting;
- Recurrent genital discharge;
- Sexually transmitted diseases.

You must log factual information; the date, time, marks or comments, disclosures (word for word ideally) that you are concerned about on a “Cause for Concern” form.

This will be filed in the child’s personal file. The parent/carer will be asked about the bruising/marks and their response will be added and both the parent and you must sign the form.

Where an immediate referral is not required, you must continue to monitor the child and situation.

Responsibilities of the childminder

Factors that impact wellbeing

Allowing children to talk and dealing with disclosure