Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] What Is Child Abuse & Neglect
Shirley A Richardson-McCourt
----- Original Message -----From: aworthenSent: Sunday, September 03, 2000 8:13 AMSubject: [Unschooling-dotcom] What Is Child Abuse & Neglect
I hope this clears up any disagreement over "what defines abuse" Here is the law in black and white. It applies to all 50 states.
"CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT"
The Public Law 100-294Defines child abuse and neglect as being any physical or mental injury, act of sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of any child under the age of 18, unless the child protection law of the State in, which the child resides specifies a younger age for cases not involving sexual abuse, by a person, including any employee of a residential facility or any staff person providing out-of- home care, who is responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances, which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby.
The Act defines sexual abuse as: the use, employment, persuasion, inducement, enticement or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct (or any simulation of such conduct) for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, or rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.
1984 Child Abuse Amendments of (P.L. 98-457) As a result of the above amendment to the Child Abuse Act, the act now also includes the withholding of medically indicated treatment for an infant's life-threatening conditions as child abuse.
WHAT IS MALTREATMENT ? The following categories basically all fit under the heading Maltreatment:
PHYSICAL ABUSE
Physical abuse is defined by inflicting any type of physical injury by punching, slapping, hitting, beating, kicking, biting, arm twisting, hair pulling, burning, or otherwise harming a child. The parent or care giver may not have intended to hurt the child and injury may have resulted from over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child's age. However, it is still abuse. Any physical act causing harm to a child is abuse whether it was intended or not.
CHILD NEGLECT
Child neglect is defined by failure on the parents or care givers part to provide for the child's basic needs, food, water, shelter, clothing and so on. Child neglect can be a combination of the following: physical, educational, or emotional or can be just one alone.
The latest national incidence study defines these three types of neglect as follows.
PHYSICAL NEGLECT
Physical neglect includes refusal of or delay in seeking health care or emergency medical services, abandonment, kicking an under aged child out of the home. Not allowing a runaway to return home. Inadequate supervision, leaving the child unattended for long periods of time. Leaving an under aged child home alone to be responsible for younger siblings.
EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT
Educational neglect includes allowing your school aged child to commit the act of chronic truancy, failure to enroll a child of mandatory school age, every child has the right to education and should be in school according to your states guidelines. Inattention to a special educational need, such as knowing your child is in need of special education classes and doing nothing about it.
EMOTIONAL NEGLECT
Emotional neglect includes such actions as chronic or extreme spouse abuse in the child's presence. Knowledge of drug or alcohol use by the child, or permission. Refusal of or failure to allow or provide needed psychological care.
It is extremely important to distinguish between willful neglect and a parent's or caretaker's failure to provide necessities of life because of poverty or cultural norms. Say for example, willful neglect is acts that call for Child Protective Services intervention. Whereas, if a parent who is unable to provide the necessities of life due to poverty may, instead, seek assistance from the governmental agencies charged with providing financial assistance, health services, housing, or other basic services.
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Emotional abuse includes but is not limited to: Screaming, yelling, belittling, name calling, emotional detachment, lack of love and affection, scapegoating, such as blaming the child for the adults problems or financial state.
As you've seen there are many forms of child maltreatment more often than not we find them occurring in combinations. Emotional/psychological will most likely always be present as well. Emotional abuse and neglect includes acts or omissions by the parents, guardians or any other person responsible for the child's care that have caused, or could possibly cause, serious behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders.
In some cases of emotional/psychological abuse the acts of parents or other caretakers alone, without any harm evident in the child's behavior or condition, such as parents, guardian or care givers use excessive, extreme even sometimes bizarre forms of punishment, such as torture, or locking a child in a dark closet. These also are sufficient to warrant the intervention of Child Protective Services.
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This page was updated on: 29 June 1997
What Is Child Abuse & Neglect® is a trademark of CAWSCORP, Inc.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.URL: http://www.geocities.com/~guardianangels/
Children Are Worth Saving Community OutReach Program: Creating
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because children's health and well being are our # 1 priority!Comments or questions: CAWS_CORP@...
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Lynda
medical profession as leaving marks which can result in bruising. Hence,
repeated blows to the bare fanny of a small child would be defined as
physical injury.
Lynda
----------
From: Shirley A Richardson-McCourt <thediva@...>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] What Is Child Abuse & Neglect
Date: Sunday, September 03, 2000 4:50 AM
What Is Child Abuse & NeglectThe ringer in the definition seems to be the
requirement that physical injury take place. It says nothing about
offending other people's sense of political correctness!
Shirley (who doesn't spank but reserves judgement on those who do.)
----- Original Message -----
From: aworthen
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2000 8:13 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] What Is Child Abuse & Neglect
My Groups | Unschooling-dotcom Main Page | Start a new group!
I hope this clears up any disagreement over "what defines abuse" Here is
the law in black and white. It applies to all 50 states.
"CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT"
The Public Law 100-294
Defines child abuse and neglect as being any physical or mental injury,
act of sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment
of any child under the age of 18, unless the child protection law of the
State in, which the child resides specifies a younger age for cases not
involving sexual abuse, by a person, including any employee of a
residential facility or any staff person providing out-of- home care, who
is responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances, which indicate
that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby.
The Act defines sexual abuse as: the use, employment, persuasion,
inducement, enticement or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any
other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct (or any simulation
of such conduct) for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such
conduct, or rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual
exploitation of children, or incest with children.
1984 Child Abuse Amendments of (P.L. 98-457)
As a result of the above amendment to the Child Abuse Act, the act now
also includes the withholding of medically indicated treatment for an
infant's life-threatening conditions as child abuse.
WHAT IS MALTREATMENT ?
The following categories basically all fit under the heading
Maltreatment:
PHYSICAL ABUSE
Physical abuse is defined by inflicting any type of physical injury by
punching, slapping, hitting, beating, kicking, biting, arm twisting, hair
pulling, burning, or otherwise harming a child. The parent or care giver
may not have intended to hurt the child and injury may have resulted from
over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child's
age. However, it is still abuse. Any physical act causing harm to a child
is abuse whether it was intended or not.
CHILD NEGLECT
Child neglect is defined by failure on the parents or care givers part to
provide for the child's basic needs, food, water, shelter, clothing and so
on. Child neglect can be a combination of the following: physical,
educational, or emotional or can be just one alone.
The latest national incidence study defines these three types of neglect
as follows.
PHYSICAL NEGLECT
Physical neglect includes refusal of or delay in seeking health care or
emergency medical services, abandonment, kicking an under aged child out of
the home. Not allowing a runaway to return home. Inadequate supervision,
leaving the child unattended for long periods of time. Leaving an under
aged child home alone to be responsible for younger siblings.
EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT
Educational neglect includes allowing your school aged child to commit
the act of chronic truancy, failure to enroll a child of mandatory school
age, every child has the right to education and should be in school
according to your states guidelines. Inattention to a special educational
need, such as knowing your child is in need of special education classes
and doing nothing about it.
EMOTIONAL NEGLECT
Emotional neglect includes such actions as chronic or extreme spouse
abuse in the child's presence. Knowledge of drug or alcohol use by the
child, or permission. Refusal of or failure to allow or provide needed
psychological care.
It is extremely important to distinguish between willful neglect and a
parent's or caretaker's failure to provide necessities of life because of
poverty or cultural norms. Say for example, willful neglect is acts that
call for Child Protective Services intervention. Whereas, if a parent who
is unable to provide the necessities of life due to poverty may, instead,
seek assistance from the governmental agencies charged with providing
financial assistance, health services, housing, or other basic services.
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Emotional abuse includes but is not limited to: Screaming, yelling,
belittling, name calling, emotional detachment, lack of love and affection,
scapegoating, such as blaming the child for the adults problems or
financial state.
As you've seen there are many forms of child maltreatment more often than
not we find them occurring in combinations. Emotional/psychological will
most likely always be present as well. Emotional abuse and neglect includes
acts or omissions by the parents, guardians or any other person responsible
for the child's care that have caused, or could possibly cause, serious
behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders.
In some cases of emotional/psychological abuse the acts of parents or
other caretakers alone, without any harm evident in the child's behavior or
condition, such as parents, guardian or care givers use excessive, extreme
even sometimes bizarre forms of punishment, such as torture, or locking a
child in a dark closet. These also are sufficient to warrant the
intervention of Child Protective Services.
LinkExchange Member Free Home Pages at GeoCities
Please be kind and sign the guest book before leaving.
This page was updated on: 29 June 1997
What Is Child Abuse & Neglect® is a trademark of CAWSCORP, Inc.
Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~guardianangels/
Children Are Worth Saving Community OutReach Program: Creating
abuse awareness,education, recognition, prevention & intervention
because children's health and well being are our # 1 priority!
Comments or questions: CAWS_CORP@...
Main/Missing Children/Sexual Predators/Sexual Abuse/Child Abuse & Neglect
Child Pornography/Domestic Violence/Protecting Your Child/National Abuse
Helplines
Positive Parenting/Parents Speak Out/Opinion Polls & Surveys/Bulletin
Board
Feedback/Chat/How Can I Help/Important Links/Awards/Heartfelt Poetry
Guestbook/Kids Korner/Dedication Page/Adopt A Guardian Angel/Today's Top
Story
This site hosted by:
Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
Addresses:
Post message: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: [email protected]
List owner: [email protected]
List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
Corallyn
> One component of physical injury is defined by CPS, the police andthe medical profession as leaving marks which can result in bruising.
Hence, repeated blows to the bare fanny of a small child would be
defined as physical injury.
>Lynda, this would be the case if there are marks left on the bare
> Lynda
>
fanny. Which, in my situation, there were not...let alone bruises. I
did not beat my child that day. I spanked him. There is a big
difference.
I will agree with your above statement. I have a friend who works for
CPS. And their code is that a parent can use any object to spank a
child be it a belt, wooden spoon, paddle, switch, fist, open hand,
etc. as long as there is not a mark left on the child. Corallyn
Shirley A Richardson-McCourt
> One component of physical injury is defined by CPS, the police and theShirley had previously said:
> medical profession as leaving marks which can result in bruising. Hence,
> repeated blows to the bare fanny of a small child would be defined as
> physical injury.
>
>Shirley now says:
> What Is Child Abuse & NeglectThe ringer in the definition seems to be the
> requirement that physical injury take place. It says nothing about
> offending other people's sense of political correctness!
>
So the ringer becomes the physical evidence requirement. In other words,
bruising. A single smack on the bottom does not qualify, as implied in other
posts. I, too, was a "mandated reporter" when I taught public school. But we
were cautioned not to see child abuse behind every act of parental
discipline with which we personally disagreed. Obvious bruising was indeed
reportable. But bruising visible only when clothes were removed was a gray
area, because we had no legal right to require a child to remove his or her
clothes just to prove or disprove a hunch of ours (for obvious reasons).
The law was intended to curtail children being regularly beaten like a drum.
It was never intended as the gov't taking the place of parents as
determiners of discipline methods. It's scary (to me, at least) how far from
the original intent we have come.
Lynda
to stop the damages that later manifest themselves in a variety of ways and
usually end up costing the taxpayers in one form or another from the cost
of jails, the loss of lives (both figuratively and in reality) and the
future generations of prospective abusers.
I once heard a speaker say that one way to judge whether or not something
was an acceptable form of discipline was to say to yourself, how would I
react if someone did that to me. Another way was to think of how you would
react if you saw someone else doing that in the grocery store. After a
pause, he then stated, well, if you wouldn't like it, if you would be
highly offended by it, if at that grocery store you would be irritated,
angry or embarassed by it, then why would it be o.k. for you to repeat the
same action against/to your child.
Lynda
----------
> From: Shirley A Richardson-McCourt <thediva@...>-------------------------------------------------------------------_->
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] What Is Child Abuse & Neglect
> Date: Monday, September 04, 2000 5:24 AM
> Lynda said:Hence,
>
> > One component of physical injury is defined by CPS, the police and the
> > medical profession as leaving marks which can result in bruising.
> > repeated blows to the bare fanny of a small child would be defined asthe
> > physical injury.
> >
> Shirley had previously said:
> >
> > What Is Child Abuse & NeglectThe ringer in the definition seems to be
> > requirement that physical injury take place. It says nothing aboutother
> > offending other people's sense of political correctness!
> >
> Shirley now says:
>
> So the ringer becomes the physical evidence requirement. In other words,
> bruising. A single smack on the bottom does not qualify, as implied in
> posts. I, too, was a "mandated reporter" when I taught public school. Butwe
> were cautioned not to see child abuse behind every act of parentalindeed
> discipline with which we personally disagreed. Obvious bruising was
> reportable. But bruising visible only when clothes were removed was agray
> area, because we had no legal right to require a child to remove his orher
> clothes just to prove or disprove a hunch of ours (for obvious reasons).drum.
>
> The law was intended to curtail children being regularly beaten like a
> It was never intended as the gov't taking the place of parents asfrom
> determiners of discipline methods. It's scary (to me, at least) how far
> the original intent we have come.
>
>
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> Addresses:
> Post message: [email protected]
> Unsubscribe: [email protected]
> List owner: [email protected]
> List settings page: http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom
>