At Risk for Abuse: A Teacher’s Guide for Recognizing and Reporting Child Neglect and Abuse

I. Intro/Defining Terms

1. Definition of abuse varies state to state thus difficult to determine unreported cases

A. professionals also define abuse differently and often fail to report

B. failure to uncover neglect due to: failure to detect injuries, failure to recognize

indicators of abuse/neglect (middle/upper income families especially), and failure to

report to appropriate agency when abuse is detected

2. Effects of child abuse include poor academic performance/socialization and

physical/cognitive disabilities

A. children with disabilities at greater risk for abuse/neglect

B. abusive parents often describe children as backward, hyperactive, constantly crying,

or difficult to control

II. Definitions and Extent of Problem

1. Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 1974

A. abuse as “physical, or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of 18.....by a person who is responsible for child’s welfare.......” (92)

2. Maltreatment (neglect, physical, verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse)

A. neglect: failure for parent/guardian to provide for child’s basic needs;

abandonment/inadequate supervision

B. verbal abuse: excessive acts of derision, taunting teasing and mocking; frequent

humiliation of child

C. emotional abuse (occurs over extended period of time): intimidating, belittling and

damaging interactions that affect emotional development

3. Indicators of abuse suggest/indicate that abuse may have taken place, they don’t prove

A. important to note students motorically delayed/impaired may be prone to accidents

(bruises, scrapes, cuts, or minor injuries)

B. teachers need to stay up to date with changing medical conditions and changing

family life patterns of students

III. Legal Obligations

1. Child abuse can’t be legally ignored by school officials

A. teachers/admins required by law in all states to report suspected child abuse

B. criminal and civil consequences can occur if abuse is not reported

C. teachers with reasonable suspicion of abuse required to report

a. reporting can occur to other agencies outside school (schools don’t have to be

burden with gathering all the facts- agencies can do the research and determine

proper action)

c. teachers need to familiarize themselves with laws regarding child abuse to

understand how to take action/report

D. reporting abuse:

a. . teachers must report abuse to local service agency (telling principle or other teachers may not be enough for mandatory reporting)

b. teachers should not disclose suspicion to parents or alleged perpetrators 3. teachers should report: child’s ID info (name, age, grade, address...etc)

c. name of person responsible for abuse

d. where abuse took place

e. description of child/statements child made and any observations

f. how long ago incident took place

g. reporter’s name, address, and phone

h. if child has disability/useful information for officials