2. ABUSE – KNOW THE SIGNS This resource aims to highlight to staff some common indicators of abuse. Staff should be aware that this is not a definitive resource – if you are in doubt and have any concerns about a young person, please act upon it and report to the child protection team. PHYSICAL ABUSE EMOTIONAL ABUSE ILLNESS INDUCED SYNDROME SEXUAL ABUSENEGLECT

3. PHYSICAL ABUSE CHILD MAY HAVE PHYSICAL INJURIES SCRATCHES AND/OR BRUISING BITE MARKS LIGATURE MARKS BURNS (CIGARETTE BURNS OR LINEAR) FRACTURES INDUCED ILLNESS SYNDROME

4. EMOTIONAL ABUSE FAILURE TO THRIVE ERRATIC WEIGHT AND GROWTH PATTERNS DEVELOPMENT DELAY BEHAVIOURAL SIGNS SELF MUTILATION WETTING AND/OR SOILING DAY OR NIGHT IN SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN WITHDRAWN BEHAVIOUR AGGRESSION DIFFICULTY IN FORMING RELATIONSHIPS INAPPROPRIATE SEEKING OF ATTENTION ESCAPE ATTEMPTS ELECTIVE MUTISM

5. ILLNESS INDUCED SYNDROME UNEXPLAINED OR RECURRENT ILLNESS. DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE MEDICAL FINDINGS AND THE HISTORY GIVEN BY THE CARER. SYMPTOMS CAN’T BE EXPLAINED BY MEDICAL SPECIALISTS DESPITE EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS. UNEXPLAINED PRESENCE OF DRUGS/CHEMICALS IN THE CHILD’S/YOUNG PERSON’S BLOOD, URINE, STOOLS OR STOMACH FLUIDS. UNEXPLAINED PRESENCE OF BLOOD OR OTHER SUBSTANCES IN THE CHILD’S/YOUNG PERSON’S URINE, STOOLS OR STOMACH FLUIDS. SYMPTOMS DO NOT OCCUR WHEN THE CHILD/YOUNG PERSON AND THE CARER ARE SEPARATED. A HISTORY OF UNEXPLAINED INFANT DEATHS HAVING OCCURRED IN THE FAMILY. CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON FROM A FAMILY WHOSE MEMBERS ARE ALLEGED TO SUFFER FROM A RANGE OF UNSUBSTANTIATED MEDICAL DISORDERS.

6. SEXUAL ABUSE SUDDEN ONSET OF WETTING OR SOILING. SLEEP DISTURBANCES SUCH AS NIGHTMARES OR REFUSING TO SLEEP ALONE. EXPLICIT SEXUAL KNOWLEDGE. EXCESSIVE MASTURBATION. PROMISCUOUS ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR. ESCAPE ATTEMPTS SUCH AS RUNNING AWAY, SLEEPING OUT, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE. SELF MUTILATION. EATING DISORDERS SUCH AS BULIMIA AND ANOREXIA NERVOSA. PERSISTENT ABDOMINAL PAIN AND HEADACHES WITHOUT OBVIOUS CAUSE.

7. NEGLECT VORACIOUS APPETITE THE CHILD THRIVES AWAY FROM HOME THE CHILD IS UNRESPONSIVE CHRONIC LISTLESSNESS FALTERING OR STATIC WEIGHT GAIN AND GROWTH CHILD LEFT UNSUPERVISED, UNATTENDED OR WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROVISION INADEQUATE OR INAPPROPRIATE CLOTHING SMELLY AND DIRTY APPEARANCE UNTREATED CONDITIONS