Child Abuse

Neglect

Emotional Abuse

Physical Abuse

Sexual Abuse

Features of Neglect

Children being left alone without adequate care and supervision

Malnourishment, lacking food, unsuitable food or erratic feeding

Failure to provide adequate care for the child’s medical and developmental needs

Inadequate living conditions – unhygienic conditions, environmental issues, including lack of adequate heating and furniture

Lack of adequate clothing

Inattention to basic hygiene

Lack of protection and exposure to danger or lack of supervision appropriate to the child’s age

Persistent failure to attend school

Features of emotional abuse

Rejection

Lack of comfort and love

Lack of continuity of care (for example, frequent moves, particularly unplanned)

Continuous lack of praise and encouragement

Persistent criticism, sarcasm, hostility or blaming of the child

Bullying

Conditional parenting in which care or affection of a child depends on his or her behaviours or actions

Extreme overprotectiveness

Inappropriate non-physical punishment (for example, locking a child in bedroom)

Ongoing family conflicts and family violence

Seriously inappropriate expectations of a child relative to their age and stage of development

Features of physical abuse

Beating, slapping, hitting or kicking

Pushing, shaking or throwing

Use of excessive force in handling

Deliberate poisoning

Fabricated/induced illness

Female genital mutilation

Features of sexual abuse

Any sexual act intentionally performed in the presence of a child

Sexual intercourse with a child

Sexual exploitation of a child including inviting, coercing or inducing a child to participate in, or to observe any sexual, indecent or obscene act

Showing sexually explicit material to children, which is often a feature of the ‘grooming’ process by perpetrators of abuse

Consensual sexual activity involving an adult and an underage person (in criminal law the age of consent to sexual intercourse is 17 years for both boys and girls)

How do you recognise Child Abuse?

You may have observed signs of abuse or have grounds for concern such as, where a child has a suspicious injury or appears distressed for no obvious reason.

If you ignore what may be signs or symptoms of abuse, it could result in ongoing harm to the child.

They need to know that they will be believed and will get the help they need.

The Child and Family Agency provides more information on the types of child abuse on its website and how to recognise them. It is not necessary for you to prove that abuse has occurred to report a concern to the Child and Family Agency .

(DCYA 2017)

How do I report a concern?

Anyone who suspects that a child is being abused, or is at risk of abuse, has a duty to report their suspicions to Tusla.

You should report your concerns to the Tusla social work duty officer in the area the child lives.

(Tusla 2017)

(Dunman 2022)

(Beeman 1999)