1. Child abuse and neglect:

2. What Is Child Abuse?
Child abuse occurs when a parent, guardian or caregiver mistreats or neglects a child, resulting in:
injury
significant emotional or psychological harm
serious risk of harm to the child.
Child abuse entails the betrayal of a caregiver's position of trust and authority over a child. It can take many different forms.

3. Physical abuse is the deliberate application of force to any part of a child's body.
Physical abuse also includes behavior such as:
Shaking
Choking
Biting
Kicking
Burning
Poisoning a child
Holding a child under water

4. Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse occurs when a child occurs when a child is used for sexual purposes by an adult or adolescent. It involves exposing a child to any sexual activity or behavior. Other forms of sexual abuse include sexual intercourse, juvenile prostitution and sexual exploitation through pornography.

5. Physical neglect occurs when a child's needs for: food clothing
Neglect occurs when a child's parents or other caregivers are not providing essential basics to a child's emotional, psychological and physical development. Physical neglect occurs when a child's needs for:
Physical neglect occurs when a child's needs for:
food
clothing
shelter
cleanliness
medical care
protection from harm

6. forcing a child into social isolation intimidating exploiting,
Emotional neglect occurs when a child's need to feel loved, wanted, safe and worthy is not met. Emotional neglect can range from the context of the abuser simply being unavailable to that in which the abuser openly rejects the child.
forcing a child into social isolation
intimidating
exploiting,
terrorizing
making unreasonable demands on a child.
exposure of a child to violence between the parents

7. Emotional abuse involves an attack on a child's sense of self
Emotional abuse involves an attack on a child's sense of self. Emotional abuse is usually found in the context of a long-term problem in a parent's treatment of a child. It is often part of a pattern of family stress and dysfunctional parenting. Emotional abuse frequently co-exists with other types of abuse:
constantly insulting
humiliating
rejecting a child,
saying that a child is ``stupid'' or ``bad'',
can harm a child's sense of worth and self-confidence

8. Where do we find child abuse and neglect?
Child abuse is not confined to any one social class or sector of the population; it cuts across all ethnic, religious, social and economic backgrounds.
Child abuse and neglect occur in every province and territory, in large cities, small towns and rural and urban areas all over the world
While children of all ages are at risk, those 3 years old or less are most frequently investigated for neglect, and children 12 to 15 years old are most frequently investigated for physical abuse.
(Trocme,1993.)

9. Family Factors
Economic disadvantage is a major contributor to child neglect. (Trocme,1993)
Poverty appears to be a risk factor for physical abuse, though not for emotional abuse. (E.D. Jones and K. McCurdy,1992)
Causes of stress on families, such as unemployment, can contribute to child maltreatment. (V. Krishnan and K.B. Morrison, 1995)
Alcohol and drug abuse (Karr-Morse & Wiley 1997)
Parental mental illness
Multi-generational abuse (J.A. Weston, M. Colloton, S. Halsey, S. Covington, J. Gilbert,L. Sorrentino-Kelly and S.S. Renoud,1993)

10. What are the characteristics of abusers?
Unrealistic expectations of the child
Unplanned pregnancy
Isolated from family or community supports
Need to control the child
See the child as a burden or acting disrespectfully

11. Children of abuse:
Younger children are at greater risk of severe injury or death as a result of child abuse
Prenatal drug exposure or failure to thrive infants
Physically or developmentally delayed children

12. Impact of abuse on the child’s development and behavior
Lower school performance
Aggressive
Deviant of rules and laws
Poor social skills/ or seek abusive relationships as adults
Socially isolated
Greater risk for becoming criminals and drug abusers
Suffer from low self-esteem, depression

13. What can be done?
Parent education
Outreach services
Community awareness (schools, doctors, local government)