Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse includes all forms of physical and emotional mistreatment, sexual abuse, and neglect of a child’s basic needs, which results in actual or potential harm to a child’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Exploitation of children is also a form of abuse and includes trafficking for sexual or economic purposes, and recruitment of children into armed forces.

An abused child may experience many forms of mistreatment in any one incident or over time; for example, emotional harm is a pervading factor in all types of abuse. The abuser may be a family member, a stranger, another child, or someone responsible for a child's well-being, such as a teacher or caretaker.

Children in every society are vulnerable to abuse, gender based violence, and exploitation, however children without parental care and those in high risk environments such as conflict areas, refugee camps, on the street, or in institutions, are particularly exposed to violence, denial of their basic human rights, and deprivation. All abuse has its origins in power imbalance and therefore is typically associated with fear, secrecy, and control. This makes identifying and speaking out about abuse very difficult for children, family members, the community and social services, particularly when it is committed within the privacy of the home.

Child abuse can cause physical and psychosocial problems, including HIV/AIDS infection, and is particularly damaging when repeated over a period of time. Children may manifest abuse via destructive or withdrawn behaviours, developmental delays, injuries or other health problems. The effects of abuse will vary from child to child and depend on the source, type and extent of the abuse, the child’s developmental stage and their disposition or resilience.

The process of identifying and responding to abuse requires skilled interventions in order to prevent further harm to the child, and will typically include police, medical, psychological, and social services in order to address the safety, physical, and emotional needs of the affected children. Any care plan must be in the best interests of the child and protect them and their siblings from harm. This will include consideration of the additional risks of abuse that are present for children in institutions and care placements. Such closed environments are extremely susceptible to abuse since they are frequently isolated, insufficiently regulated, and lacking in adequate supervision and safe reporting procedures. It is the role of social services to screen and monitor all child placements, including institutional, kinship, and foster care, to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

It is the responsibility of the whole community to protect its children. Education and community awareness for children and adults on the risks, signs of abuse, and responses is vital for children without parental care and those in high risk situations, such as during a conflict or displacement when sexual violence, exploitation, and recruitment into armed forces are prevalent.

The literature in this section describes the types of abuse in more detail, including gender based violence, and provides example child protection procedures, policy papers, and other intervention tools.

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Into the Light: Index on Global Technology-Facilitated Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2026

The University of Edinburgh and Human Dignity Foundation, 19 May 2026

This report is an overview of Childlight’s Into the Light Index on Global Technology-Facilitated Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2026 Data Update. The update focuses on new emerging data as well as updating existing global and regional prevalence and scale data on Technology-Facilitated Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

Contextual Safeguarding Against Harmful Sexual Behaviour and Child Sexual Exploitation: A narrative review of Australian public inquiries into residential care

Kenny Kor, 05 May 2026

This narrative review draws on 17 Australian public inquiry reports to examine systemic factors in residential care that increase risks of harmful sexual behaviour and child sexual exploitation. It identifies key issues—such as poor placement matching, an underprepared workforce, fragmented reporting systems, and disempowering practices—and calls for a shift from individual-focused responses to broader structural reforms.

Are parenting programmes effective at scale? Associations with violence against adolescent girls, parenting and mental health in real-world delivery across eight African countries: a meta-analysis of pre-post surveys

Lucie Cluver , Catherine L Ward, Francesca Little, et al., 05 May 2026

This large-scale study across eight African countries finds that the Parenting for Lifelong Health programme is associated with significant reductions in physical and emotional abuse, improved parenting practices, and better mental health outcomes for both caregivers and adolescents. It demonstrates that evidence-based parenting interventions can be effectively delivered at scale—even in humanitarian contexts—while maintaining strong positive impacts.

Out of the Shadows

Together for Girls, 01 May 2026

This Out of the Shadows Index tracks how 60 countries across 6 regions – home to 83% of the world’s children – are preventing and responding to sexual violence against children and adolescents.

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Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Emotional Abuse and Neglect during Childhood in Arab Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Alansari, Amani; Salim, Amani; Elissa, Kawther; et al., 01 May 2026

This article presents a meta-analysis of 41 studies examining the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of emotional abuse and neglect among children in Arab countries, finding that nearly half of children are affected. It highlights key drivers such as parental divorce and low education, as well as serious outcomes like behavioral disorders and suicidal ideation, and calls for culturally tailored prevention and stronger child protection systems.

The intersection of sexual and criminal exploitation for children going missing in residential care: patterns, problems, and opportunities

Viviana Sastre-Gomez, Gemma McKibbin, Genevieve Bloxsom, et al. , 01 May 2026

This study analyzed data from residential care settings in Victoria, Australia, to examine how missing episodes intersect with worker-identified concerns about sexual and criminal exploitation among children and young people. Findings suggest that going missing may signal ongoing, overlapping patterns of exploitation-related harm—rather than isolated vulnerability—highlighting the need to view these incidents as part of sustained exploitation trajectories.

Responding to Child Survivors of Trafficking in Ghana: Limitations of Deinstitutionalization and Promising Alternatives

Philip Asamoah, Brenda D. Smith, and Gilbert Atsu Torsu , 15 Apr 2026

This study examines the challenges of deinstitutionalization (DI) in Ghana, particularly for child trafficking survivors, highlighting how structural, socio-cultural, and economic factors hinder safe reintegration into family-based care. It finds that while policies promote alternatives to institutional care, effective DI requires sustained investment in community services, poverty reduction, and trauma-informed support to prevent re-trafficking and ensure long-term child well-being.

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Webinar Recording: A Decade of INSPIRE – Evidence in Action to End Violence Against Children

14 Apr 2026

This webinar celebrated a decade of evidence in action and highlight the next phase of INSPIRE’s global implementation and research agenda. It brought together global leaders, researchers, and practitioners to discuss what the new evidence means for countries, sectors, and systems working to end violence against children.

Parenting Programmes to Prevent Violence and Advance Gender Equality

UNICEF Innocenti, 01 Apr 2026

This brief presents findings from a global mapping of parenting programmes that aim to prevent violence against children and against women while advancing gender equality. It offers practical guidance for policymakers, programme designers, and implementers on how to develop, scale, and strengthen parenting interventions that promote safer, more equitable family environments.

[Webinar] What it really takes to scale child sexual abuse prevention

Spring Impact and ISPCAN, 18 Mar 2026

Building on Spring Impact's previous ISPCAN Network webinar on the fundamentals of scaling impact, this session dives deeper into what it truly takes to scale child sexual abuse prevention-focused initiatives.

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