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 Children may manifest abuse via destructive or withdrawn behaviours, developmental delays, injuries or other health problems.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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Evaluation of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Reporting of Maltreatment Cases to the National Family Safety Program in Saudi Arabia

Shuliweeh Alenezi, Mahdi Alnamnakani, Mohamad-Hani Temsah, Rozan Murshid, Fahad Alfahad, Haitham Alqurashi, Hana Alonazy, Mohamad Alothman, Majid A. Aleissa, 14 Nov 2021

This report found that the types of abuse and the characteristics of both abused children and offenders in Saudi Arabia saw significant changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sexual and emotional abuses were reported more frequently, and the male gender is considered to feature more commonly in reports prior to the pandemic era than during the pandemic.

Ending Corporal Punishment in the Early Years of Childhood: An Essential Right and Need of Every Child

Early Childhood Development Action Network, Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children, 01 Nov 2021

This briefing, authored by Jorge Cuartas with End Violence and the Early Childhood Development Action Network examines evidence from research on the impacts of violent punishment on young children, global prevalence and progress towards universal prohibition, and strategies to end corporal punishment. It adds yet more weight to the call that all countries must take steps to prohibit and eliminate violent punishment of all children without delay.

Financial redress for survivors of child abuse in care: Information note 11 - July 2021

Scottish Government, 01 Jul 2021

Update on administration and decision making work taking place since the The Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Bill was passed by Parliament in March 2021.

Bringing Child Buddhist Monks into the Alternative Care Conversation: Reflections on an Under-Considered Group of Children

Deborah W. Parkes, 31 May 2021

This article identifies risks and vulnerabilities that child monks can face, including sexual abuse. It reflects on how aspects of entrusting young children to live as child monks do not necessarily fit with principles articulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNGA, 1989) and the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children (UNGA, 2009).

Webinar Recording: First Steps in Integrating VAW & VAC Programming: Practical Experiences

Prevention Collaborative, 04 May 2021

In this webinar, prevention experts discuss the process, experiences, and challenges of the ongoing integration of IPV prevention and gender into the Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS) Skilful Parenting Programme, and inclusion of VAC in the Indashyikirwa couples IPV prevention programme.

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Intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment in South Australia, 1986–2017: a retrospective cohort study

Jason M Armfield, Emmanuel S Gnanamanickam, David W Johnston, David B Preen, Derek S Brown, Ha Nguyen, Leonie Segal - The Lancet Public Health, 30 Apr 2021

In this study, the authors aimed to examine factors associated with intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment and quantify its extent in a population sample over a 30-year period in South Australia.

Validation and further development of a risk assessment instrument for child welfare

Annemiek Vial, Claudia van der Put, Geert Jan J. M. Stams, Marc Dinkgreve, Mark Assink - Child Abuse & Neglect, 07 Apr 2021

The aim of this article is to examine (1) the predictive validity of a risk assessment instrument that has been widely implemented in the Netherlands, and to examine (2) whether the actuarial risk estimation could be improved and simplified to widen the instrument’s applicability to different organizations serving different populations.

Brain changes in magnetic resonance imaging caused by child abuse: A systematic literature review

Andrés Felipe Herrera Ortiz, Nury Tatiana Rincón Cuenca, Lorena Josefina Fernández Beaujon - SSRN Electronic Journal, 01 Apr 2021

The objective of this article is to demonstrate brain changes and their functional repercussions using magnetic resonance imaging in people exposed to chronic child abuse.

Instaurer une société bienveillante pour nos enfants et nos jeunes: Rapport de la Commission spéciale sur les droits des enfants et la protection de la jeunesse (CSDEPJ)

Gouvernement du Québec, 01 Apr 2021

Après deux années de travail intense, la Commission spéciale sur les droits des enfants et la protection de la jeunesse (CSDEPJ) présente publiquement avec beaucoup de fébrilité son rapport final.

#EndCorporalPunishment Call to Action

Together to #ENDviolence global campaign, 01 Apr 2021

This call to action calls on all states that have not already done so to commit to and start the legislative process to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings by the end of 2022

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