What you need to know to help identify signs of abuse Child abuse & teachers What you need to know to help identify signs of abuse All to often Teachers, childcare providers, nannies, don’t report the child abuse they witness.

Child abuse statistics 3.6 million referrals are made to protections agencies each year Child abuse reports are made every 10 seconds 4-7 children lost each day from abuse/neglect Lets start off with a few statistics. 3.6 million referrals are made each year. That equals out to about a report being made every 10 seconds. On the daily, 4 – 7 children die from child abuse and neglect daily; just in the United States.

What are the types of child abuse? Physical abuse Physical neglect Sexual abuse Emotional maltreatment There are 4 main types of child abuse, Physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment.

Physical abuse Physical Indicators Behavioral Indicators Unexplained bruises or welts on body Unexplained burns Unexplained fractures Unexplained lacerations or abrasions Wary of adult contact Frightened of parents Aggressiveness

Physical Neglect Physical Indicators Behavioral Indicators Always hungry Poor hygiene Inappropriate dress Unattended physical problems or medical needs Begging Stealing food Constantly falling asleep in class

Sexual abuse Physical Indicators Behavioral Indicators Difficulty walking or sitting Pain or itching in genital areas Bruising or bleeding in genital areas Unwilling to participate in PE Withdrawn Poor peer relationships

Emotional maltreatment Physical Indicators Behavioral Indicators Habit disorders (Sucking, biting, rocking) Conduct disorders (antisocial, destructible) Neurotic traits (Sleep disorders, speech disorders) Compliant, passive Aggressive, demanding

Long term affects Suicide attempts Drug and alcohol abuse Depression Graph 1 Suicide attempts Drug and alcohol abuse Depression Partner abuse Accidental pregnancies 80% Now that we have covered basic child abuse indicators lets look at the long run. Child abuse has many long term affects a few include: Attempted suicides, drug and alcohol abuse with more likely early experimentation, more depression, continued abuse with a partner, accidental pregnancies. The pie chart shows a study that found that a group of 21 year olds who reported child abuse, 80% of them met the criteria for at least one psychological disorder.

Educators See children everyday Can develop trust with children Notice behavioral changes Let your students know you are able to help. You, as an educator, are surrounded by children almost daily. You are with kids long enough to notice behaviors and changes in moods with your students. This means you are able to notice when a student has a sudden change in mood or behavior. Educators are know when something isn’t right with their students. Students often times will open up to their teachers if they are comfortable enough. Make sure you let your students know that you are a safe adult to talk to if they are being abused.

Educators don’t report child abuse Lack of knowledge on indicators Lack of confidence Afraid of retaliation Unsure of who to contact Often times educators are uncomfortable with reporting abuse or suspected abuse. Some of the reasons abuse isn’t reported are: lack of knowledge, is this really abuse or was it rough play? Educators lack the confidence, it can be intimidating. No one wants to wrongly accuse anyone of harming a child or put them through unnecessary trials and such. Afraid of the retaliation that could follow, yes, reports are kept confidential from parents but many teachers are afraid that their name might come up. Lastly, many educators are unsure of who to contact when they want to make a report.

Reasonable Suspicion Figure 4, next slide. In a 2015 study, researchers gave a survey to childcare providers asking how likely they are to report child abuse after they have ‘reasonable suspicion’. The next slide shows the graph of data taken.

The graph shows the Estimated probability of childcare providers responses to the question: “How likely would suspected child abuse have to be before you felt there was reasonable suspicion?”

Who should you contact? 911 Utah – dcfs - 1-855-323-3237 If you suspect child abuse call your local child protective services office or a law enforcement agency. The will ask you questions about the child, type of abuse, child's name, address, parents name, etc. Be sure to give them as much detailed information as possible. Any small detail can be a big help.

Questions?

References Maguire, S., Williams, B., Naughton, A., Cowley, L., Tempest, V., Mann, M., . . . Kemp, A. (2014). A systematic review of the emotional, behavioral and cognitive features exhibited by school-aged children experiencing neglect or emotional abuse. doi:10.1111/cch.12227 New Jersey, S. (2017). Indicators of Child Abuse / Neglect. Retrieved from http://www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting/indicators/ Levi, B., Crowell, K., Walsh, K., & Dellasega, C. (2015). How Childcare Providers Interpret 'Reasonable Suspicion' of Child Abuse. Child Youth Care Forum. doi:10.1007/s10566- 015-9302-5 Child and Family Services, U. (n.d.). Child & Family Services. Retrieved from https://dcfs.utah.gov/ Help, C. (n.d.). Child Abuse Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse-statistics/