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What is Child Abuse - Child Abuse Reporting & Investigation

To many, child abuse is narrowly defined as having only physical implications. In reality, child abuse includes:

• Physical Abuse
• Neglect
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Maltreatment
  

The act of inflicting injury or the failure to act so that injury results, rather than the degree of injury, is the basis for making the decision to intervene. A parent or caretaker may begin by inflicting minor injuries, then may increasingly cause more serious harm over a period of time. Therefore, detecting the initial small injuries and intervening with preventive action may save a child from future permanent injury or death.

Physical injuries and severe neglect and malnutrition are more readily detectable than the subtle and less visible injuries which result from emotional maltreatment or sexual abuse. However, all categories of abuse endanger or impair a child's physical or emotional health and development and demand attention.

Certain persons, commonly referred to as mandated reporters, are required by law to report any known or suspected instance of child abuse. Indicators for suspected child abuse are presented in this publication to assist mandated reporters in meeting their responsibilities under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.

One of the most important indicators for suspecting child abuse is when a child tells someone that he or she has been abused. When a child tells a particular person who is an individual required to report child abuse, the communication is not privileged. That individual, by law, must report what the child has related to him or her. This requirement applies to physical abuse, willful cruelty or un-justifiable punishment of a child, severe neglect or sexual abuse. Mandated reporters who report such suspected child abuse cases have absolute immunity, both civilly and criminally, for making such reports.

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