This section is for Adults helping your own child who has been abused (including parents, grandparents and other relatives). Every person seeking help from Justice for Children MUST complete the Intake Form to the right (yellow button). If the child in need is not related to you, we may still be able to help.
The Centers for Disease Control define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. There are different kinds of child abuse: physical, sexual, or emotional. Neglect, which can be benign or deliberate, is also child abuse.
If you believe a child is the victim of abuse, check your suspicions against these compiled lists of common indicators. One or more of these indicators should prompt a closer look at the child and the child’s environment. It is important to remember that many of the indicators may be observed in children where abuse is not occurring. However, a history of suspicious injuries, patterns of behavior, and verbal reports of abuse are all key elements in recognizing possible abuse or neglect.
Discipline is administered by a parent in order to teach a child right from wrong, or to prevent the child from injuring himself. It is consistent and not carried out to satisfy the parent’s anger. Abuse, on the other hand, is unpredictable and stems from the parent’s own need to lash out in anger or frustration.
Discipline does not require the use of any implement, such as a belt or stick, and should not leave bruises or draw blood. A few signs of abuse could be:
- • Unexplained bruises or welts especially on face, lips, back, buttocks, and thighs
- • Bruises in various stages of healing.
- • Unexplained burns: cigar, cigarette burns (especially on soles of feet, palms, back, or buttocks).
- • Immersion burns (sock-like, glove-like burns on buttocks or genitalia).
- • Pattern burns (shaped like an iron, electrical stove burner, curling wand, etc.)
- • Internal injuries
- • Unexplained fractures/dislocations
- • Unexplained lacerations or abrasions
- • Head injuries
- • Unexplained bald patches
- • Obvious attempts to hide bruises or injuries
- • Inappropriate clothing for the weather
- • Excessive school absenteeism
- • Fear of parents or adults
- • Running away
- • Arriving to school early/leaving late
- • Behavioral extremes: extremely aggressive, oppositional, demanding
- • Behavioral extremes: overly compliant, passive, withdrawn
- • Academic/behavioral problems at school
- • Cognitive impairment
- • Deficits in speech and language
- • Lack of basic trust in others
- • Depression, low self esteem
- • Destructive behavior
- • Suicidal tendencies
- • Fatigue
- • Hypervigilance
NEED HELP?
Every person seeking help from Justice for Children MUST ccomplete the Intake Form on the right. If the child in need is not related to you, we may still be able to help.