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  • Responding to Types of Child Abuse or Neglect

Responding to Types of Child Abuse or Neglect

There are varying types of child abuse and neglect, each with its own unique characteristics. Children also may experience the co-occurrence of multiple forms of maltreatment, such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse as well as neglect, which together may affect them to a greater extent. The following resources offer information and guidance in responding effectively when a child reveals they or someone they know are victims of abuse and/or neglect.  

  • Child neglect
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Emotional abuse

Child neglect

Acts of Omission: An Overview of Child Neglect

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 489KB)
Year Published
2018
Addresses the scope of the problem of child neglect as well as its consequences, reviews definitions and strategies for assessing neglect, presents lessons learned about prevention and intervention, and suggests sources of training and informational support. Strategies for addressing neglect, beginning with prevention, are included.

Chronic Child Neglect

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 359KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2019
Provides professionals with an overview of chronic child neglect, its implications for child welfare, and casework practice to address it. The bulletin also explores multisystem collaboration and partnerships, evidence-informed interventions, and the importance of hope in combatting chronic neglect. It features examples of State and local efforts to address chronic child neglect.

Interventions for Neglect
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
Links to interventions for neglect that have been rated on a scientific scale of evidence-based practice.

Neglect Toolkit
FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention
Outlines the issue of child neglect and reviews promising approaches and strategies to address it, including prevention programs.

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Physical abuse

Abusive Head Trauma in Infants and Children (PDF - 598 KB) 
Narang, Fingarson, & Lukefahr (2020)
Describes abusive head trauma, especially in young infants and reviews the history of the problem, presentation and evaluation, diagnosis, outcomes, and more. 

Child Physical Abuse: A Guide to CAC Response
National Children’s Alliance
Provides information on guidelines and recommendations for child advocacy centers currently providing services to victims of abuse as well as centers considering offering services for this population.

Do Sentinel Injuries Predict Later Physical Abuse in Infants? (PDF - 425 KB)
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Offers a summary of a research article that showed how sentinel injuries, such as bruising and injuries inside the mouth, in infants should raise concern as they may indicate an elevated risk of more severe abuse in the future.

Physical Abuse
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Includes resources on the nature, prevalence, and impact of physical abuse and offers information on its prevention and treatment. Furthermore, the Interventions section offers suggestions for different approaches used to help current victims or those at risk of becoming victims of physical abuse.

Signs of Child Physical Abuse
HealthyPlace (2019)
Explores signs of physical abuse in children that may indicate a need for investigation. The webpage also reviews parent or caregiver behavior indicating a child maltreatment response.

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Sexual abuse

Child Sexual Abuse
RAINN
Focuses on child sexual abuse and the potential warning signs that it may be occurring. 

Responding to Child Sexual Abuse
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2020)
Provides practical guidance to share with families on what to say and what steps to take when child sexual abuse is suspected.

Stop It Now!
Focuses on creating and disseminating effective programs, support, and resources to mobilize adults into taking action to prevent and stop the sexual abuse of children.  

Tip Sheet: Signs That a Child or Teen May Be At-Risk to Harm Another Child
Stop It Now!
Offers a printable handout with bullet points for helping to identify possible signs that a child or teen is at risk of harming another child.

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Emotional abuse

Child Emotional and Psychological Abuse
Healthline
Reviews emotional and psychological abuse of children and describes signs of abuse, how to report it, information for parents, the long-term effects of this type of abuse, and more.

Practice Guidelines for Investigating Suspected Psychological Maltreatment
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2018)
Children’s Bureau Express, 19(7)
Discusses a set of practice guidelines for child welfare professionals to use in cases of emotional or psychological maltreatment. The resource includes definitions of different forms of psychological abuse along with information on its prevalence, effects, considerations for investigators, and how to assess this type of abuse.

What Is Emotional Child Abuse?
Morin (2021)
Presents an overview of emotional child abuse and reviews signs, traits of those who commit psychological abuse, different types of emotional abuse, risk factors, impact, and treatment.

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Spotlight On

How You Can Help Someone Who Is Being Abused or Neglected
Child Welfare Information Gateway
(2018)

Council on Child Abuse and Neglect

American Academy of Pediatrics

NCAC Fact Sheets

National Children’s Advocacy Center, Child Abuse Library Online (2019)

Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

Kaplan Early Learning Company

Related Content

Identification of Child Abuse & Neglect

Training on Identification of Child Abuse and Neglect

Role of Related Professionals in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect

Collaborative Responses to Child Abuse & Neglect

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