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 Children may manifest abuse via destructive or withdrawn behaviours, developmental delays, injuries or other health problems.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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Children's Views of Living with Informal Kinship Carers: Social Networks, Stigmas, and Attachment to Carers

Elaine Farmers, Julie Selwyn, and Sarah Meakings from the School of Policy Studies at University of Bristol, UK, 01 Sep 2013

This study funded by Big Lottery and undertaken in partnership between the University of Bristol and Buttle UK, a grant-giving charity for vulnerable children, aims to fill gaps in understanding about the experiences of children living with kins, and in particular how children in informal kinship care view their situation.

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Country Care Review: Uzbekistan

Better Care Network, 12 Aug 2013

This Country Care Review includes the care-related concluding observations on the third and fourth periodic reports of Uzbekistan, adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child at its sixty-third session (27 May–14 June 2013), as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.

Severe punishment of children by staff in Romanian placement centers for school-aged children: Effects of child and institutional characteristics

Adrian V. Rus, Ecaterina Stativa, Jacquelyn S. Pennings, David R. Cross, Naomi Ekas, Karyn B. Purvis, Sheri R. Parris - Child Abuse & Neglect, 07 Aug 2013

The objective of this study was to determine whether children's characteristics and/or institutional characteristics were predictors of severe punishments (including beatings) and/or frequency of punishments that children received from staff in Romanian institutions.

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Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children to the UN General Assembly 68th Session

Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children , 05 Aug 2013

In her annual report to the UN General Assembly, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General highlights the results of an expert consultation on violence in early childhood. The consultation highlighted the urgency of supporting families and caregivers in their child-rearing responsibilities and securing a responsive national child protection system to strengthen families’ capacity to raise young children in safe environments and prevent child abandonment and placement in residential care.

Inter-Agency Statement on the 2014 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the Rights of the Child

New York and Geneva Working Groups on Children Without parental Care, 24 Jul 2013

A coalition of over 40 international, regional and national NGOs and networks have issued a joint call to member States of the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA) to focus the 2014 Resolution on the Rights of the Child on strengthening family care and providing appropriate alternative care for children.

Better Care Network, 22 Jul 2013

India submitted its third and fourth combined report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Country Care Review: Guinea Bissau

Better Care Network, 08 Jul 2013

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of its examination during the sixty-third session (27 May-14 June 2013) of Guinea Bissau’s second through fourth periodic reports to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.

Country Care Review: Israel

Better Care Network, 04 Jul 2013

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of its examination during the sixty-third session (27 May-14 June 2013) of Israel’s second to fourth periodic reports to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.

Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents

Child Welfare Information Gateway, 01 Jul 2013

This factsheet is designed for caregivers and discusses how they can help children in their care by educating themselves about child sexual abuse, establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in their families, and understanding when and how to seek help if needed.

Goa, India: The Foster Care Scheme- Vatsalya

The Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Goa , 01 Jul 2013

The state cabinet of Goa in India has approved a foster care scheme to assist children deprived of parental care or of the care of guardians, and in need of protection. These government guidelines set out the purpose of the scheme, criteria for eligibility and procedures to be followed, including the relevant forms.