Child Abuse Essay: Possible Signs and Symptoms, Indicators, and Behaviors of Child Neglect or Abuse
There are multiple ways in which a person can detect an instance of any form of maltreatment. Child abuse and neglect take various forms; therefore, a wide range of indicators can be used to recognize ill-treatment. Physical indicators include unexplained cuts, burns, bruising, and swelling. There could also be rope burns on the neck and limbs, bite marks, fractures, dislocations, dental and eye injuries (Burke et al., 2018). Get legit paper writing services now!
The victimized child may also exhibit behavioral signs of Child abuse and neglect. Such symptoms include sleep disturbances, uncharacteristic aggression and mood swings, withdrawal, self-harm, and unwarranted disobedience to other people. Sexual abuse may manifest itself in the form of disclosure of assaults, sitting and walking, trauma on the breasts and lower body, painful or itching genitals, pregnancy, sexually transmitted illnesses, and blood strains.
Psychological child abuse is evident due to speech disorders, lagged physical development, self-harm injuries, anxiety attacks, clinical depression, excessive attention-seeking, and decreased interpersonal skills (Burke et al., 2018). Chemical abuse may be hinted by drug abuse, overly active, and disorientation.
Financial child Abuse abuse indicators are inaccessibility of personal funds, misappropriation of finances, excessive and inappropriate purchases, and lack of adequate finances to meet their basic needs. Indicators of neglect include unhealthy weight changes, poor dental hygiene, low dressing, and consistent poor quality meals. They may also be indicated by fatigue, hunger, loss of communication skills, and withdrawal (Hirsch et al., 2020).
Adam should be concerned because Sam is unusually quiet for an unusually prolonged period. Sam also kept withdrawing from interaction with other students. These behavioral signs could indicate physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect. Adam also noticed aggression when Sam hit and pushed a fellow student, indicating physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Adam noticing a fresh bruising on Sam’s right arm could narrow it to physical abuse, but he is not aware of whether the wound was self-inflicted. These signs are enough evidence that Sam is being abused or neglected by his mother.
Child Abuse Essay: Ways in Which Abusive Situation Can damage an Individual’s Health, Wellbeing, and Development
Maltreatment has devastating consequences on an individual’s health, wellbeing, and development. Abusive situations could impact their cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and physical wellbeing of a child. According to Hirsch et al. (2020), The physical consequences could take the form of bruises, brain injuries, or death. Psychological consequences of child abuse and neglect could range from low self-esteem to dissociative conditions.
Here, neglect or abuse may cause brain dysfunction and even death. Brain injuries can be obtained from physical abuse and being neglected. Child abuse and neglect could lead to cognitive and intellectual deficits. It impairs a child’s intellectual development with no indications of neurological deficiency. Abusive situations could also lead to antisocial behavior and aggression.
Sam is already experiencing some of these consequences of child abuse and neglect, like withdrawal and aggression. If Adam fails to intervene and the abuse persists, Sam may suffer more severe consequences. He may develop psychosocial consequences like malnutrition and dehydration, which causes developmental delays, poor social skills, emotional instability, and attention dearth.
Child Abuse Essay: How National and Local Policies Safeguard Children and Vulnerable Adults
There are national and local guidelines, policies, and procedures to ensure that all children grow in a safe, supportive, and secure environment. These guidelines are enshrined in The Children Act 1989 and the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Alderson & Morrow, 2020). They also expect the professional involved in child work to coordinate in safeguarding all children.
There laws like the Genital Mutilation Act 2003 of England ban Female Genital mutilation (FGM), a form of physical child abuse. The law protects children and vulnerable adults by creating awareness of these forms of abuse and neglect (Avalos, 2015). They obtain and distribute any information regarding a case of abuse or potential abuse. The policies also dictate the appropriate steps to be taken when dealing with a case of abuse.
Child Abuse Essay: Partnerships Working in the Context of Safeguarding
Partnership working in safeguarding is the cooperation among agencies and professionals who work together to protect children and vulnerable adults from neglect and abuse and prevent the cases from happening (Killick & Taylor, 2020). The sharing of information among these agencies facilitates identifying the risk in advance, joint decision making, and action coordination.
The senior officials in these agencies set guidelines on information sharing. The professionals involve pediatricians, teachers, and social workers. On the other hand, the children’s services coordinate with local authorities and the police. These professionals work together to ensure that these vulnerable persons are empowered.
The pediatricians have the role of safeguarding the children by providing health care services. They can identify symptoms of abuse or neglect while interacting with a child or a vulnerable adult. The police have a specialist whose role is to safeguard vulnerable persons. They identify children who seem to be at risk of child abuse or neglect and share the information with the children’s services.
