Session 1 Child Abuse

Question 1

What is child abuse?

Answer 1

Maltreatment of a child (<18yrs)
Infliction of harm
Failing to act to prevent harm

Question 2

What defines significant harm?

Answer 2

Ill-treatment or impairment of health or
development
Legal justification intervention in family life

Question 3

Categories for child abuse

Answer 3

• neglect
• physical
• sexual

Question 4

What is neglect

Answer 4

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

Question 5

How can Neglect occur during pregnancy

Answer 5

Can occur via substance abuse

Question 6

What are some examples of neglect

Answer 6

-Provide adequate food, clothing, shelter (including
exclusion from home or abandonment)
- protect from physical and emotional abuse
- adequate supervision
- access to medical care
- attending basic emotional needs

Question 7

What are some red flags that could show a child is suffering from neglect?

Answer 7

• recurrent non-attendance to appointments
• missed routine screenings and immunisations
• Faltering growth - needs not being met
• delay in development - speech
• recurrent infections - head lice, skin
• poor school attendance
• history of injuries

Question 8

How can you examine a child’s health

Answer 8

• poor nutritional status
• dental decay
• chronic infestation
• dirty/smells

Question 9

What does physical abuse involve?

Answer 9

hitting, shaking, throwing,
poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning,
suffocating or otherwise causing physical
harm to a child.
Or parting inducing illness in child

Question 10

History of physical abuse

Answer 10

• Lack of or inadequate explanation for injury
  • Delay in seeking medical attention
  • Inconsistent accounts
  • Presence of multiple risk factors/Child or family known to SocialCare
  • Direct disclosure

Question 11

Examinations that can show physical abuse

Answer 11

• unexplained bruising
• Unexplained fractures/burns
• patterns (hand mark)
• injury not consistent with history or age

Question 12

What defines sexual abuse?

Answer 12

• forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities despite them knowing what’s going on or not

Question 13

In what ways can a child be sexually abused?

Answer 13

• physical contact
• non-contact: children looking at sexual images, watching sexual activities, grooming, taking sexual images of them
• can take place online

Question 14

What is child sexual exploitation?

Answer 14

• individual or group taking advantage of power to coerce or manipulate child into sexual activity
  The child may be aware what’s going on and not realise it is exploiting

Question 15

What are some examples of coercion?

Answer 15

• exchanging something with victim
• financial advantage
• increased status of perpetrators

Question 16

History of someone that has been sexually abused.

Answer 16

• pregnancy
• signs of sexual activity under 13 years
• STIs
• anogential injury and unexplained bleeding
• recurrent vaginal discharge
• soiling and wetting (differential diagnosis)
• behavioural change

Question 17

Examination of a child who may have suffered from sexual abuse

Answer 17

• refer to social care

Question 18

Some examples of emotional abuse

Answer 18

• Rejecting
  – Isolating
  – Terrorising
  – Ignoring
  – Corrupting
  – Cyberbullying

Question 19

What is the definition of emotional abuse

Answer 19

Persistent emotional maltreatment of a child causing
severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s
emotional development. :
- conveying worthlessness/unlike
- deliberately silencing child
- limiting learning
- bullying /exploitation

Question 20

History of an infant suffering from child abuse

Answer 20

Feeding difficulties, crying, poor sleep patterns, delayed development.

Question 21

History of a toddler suffering from emotional abuse

Answer 21

Behavioural spectrum from overactive to apathetic, noisy to quiet, dev delay

Question 22

History of a child at school suffering from emotional abuse

Answer 22

Wetting & soiling, relationship difficulties, poor school performance, non-
attendance, antisocial behaviour

Question 23

History of an adolescent suffering from emotional abuse

Answer 23

Depression, self-harm, substance misuse, eating disorders, oppositional,
aggressive, delinquent behaviours.

Question 24

Some other issues concerning safeguarding

Answer 24

Online abuse & grooming
• Child Criminal exploitation/County lines
• Trafficking
• Radicalisation
• Modern slavery
• Female genital mutilation/cutting
• Forced marriage
• Honour based violence
• Discriminatory abuse

Question 25

What is the triad of vulnerability?

Answer 25

– Domestic abuse – Mental illness of parent or carer – Parental drug and / alcohol misuse

Question 26

Which children are are most vulnerable to child abuse?

Answer 26

• Under 2 years • Pre-verbal babies & children • Those with additional needs/disability • Vulnerable/marginalised young people

Question 27

What process is taken when a child is suspected of suffering from abuse

Answer 27

- refer to social care -> reasonable cause to suspect this -> duty to make enquiries under section 47 of the children act 1989

Question 28

Adverse childhood experiences

Answer 28

- suffering from abuse as a young age can have major negative implications on the child when they grow up They will have damaged mental health and are more prone to physical illness

Question 29

Example of some adverse childhood experiences

Answer 29

– Physical abuse & neglect – Sexual abuse – Emotional abuse & neglect – Domestic violence – Mental ill-health – Incarceration – Substance misuse – Parental separation

Question 30

Interventions and support

Answer 30

• Universal services • Early Help • Child in Need – consent required. Section 17 Children Act 1989 • Child Protection – consent not required. Section 47 Children Act 1989

Question 31

If you are concerned about a child’s welfare what do you not do

Answer 31

– Don’t ask leading questions. – Document verbatim what was said. – Don’t promise confidentiality. – Talk immediately to one of the professionals you are working with – they will escalate appropriately.

Question 32

Why review child deaths

Answer 32

• To establish, a cause Of child deaths (with the coroner) • To identify any potential contributory & modifiable factors • To provide ongoing support to the family • To learn lessons in order to reduce the risk of future child deaths

Question 33

Who is involved in the death review process

Answer 33

- health and local authority funded - CD-R team; designated dr, nurses - get health and social care and lilacs involved - get all agencies involved