What is child abuse
Every family is different, but all children should be kept safe, feel loved, and receive an education. All children need to feel safe and have rules and boundaries.
Most parents/carers do everything they can to look after their children, but some may have difficulties and children may suffer as a result. There are adults whose job it is to help them.
Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment, or lack of care that leads to injury or harm. Abuse (also called significant harm) can happen to a child at any age. Abusers can be adults, but not just parents/carers. Abuse often occurs within a relationship of trust e.g., a family member or friend, a teacher, a youth leader.
Neglect
This is the ongoing failure to meet a child's basic needs. Basic needs include having enough food, having clean clothes, shelter, and supervision. It also includes having an education and receiving proper health care. Neglect can have long term effects on a child or young person's physical and mental wellbeing.
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Physical Abuse
This is when someone hurts a child on purpose. It may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating. It can also be caused when a parent/carer makes up the symptoms of, or deliberately causes a child to become unwell. In sport it may be when a child is forced into training and competition which exceeds what their body is safely capable of.
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This is any type of abuse that involves the ongoing emotional mistreatment of a child. It's sometimes called psychological abuse. It may involve making a child feel worthless or unloved or not giving them opportunities to express their views. It can also be isolating or ignoring a child or frequently making fun out of them or making them feel frightened.
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Sexual Abuse
This involves forcing or tricking a child or young person to take part in sexual activities. The child or young person may or may not be aware that what is happening is wrong. There are two types of sexual abuse – contact and non-contact. Contact abuse includes sexual touching, forcing a child to take part in sexual activities or making a child touch someone else. Non-contact abuse includes showing a child sexual images or videos, exposing a child to sexual acts or making them masturbate. It can also be making, viewing or distributing child abuse images or grooming a child in preparation of abuse. Sexual abuse can happen in person or online.
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Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people. It can happen between people who are or have been in a relationship. It can also happen between adults related to one another. Children and young people are often witness to this. It can seriously harm children and young people, and experiencing domestic abuse is child abuse.
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Bullying
Is behaviour which is intended to hurt someone either emotionally or physically. It's usually repeated over a long period of time. Bullying can often be aimed at certain people because of their race, religion, gender or sexual orientation or disability. It can happen anywhere – at school, at home or online.
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Children say that they want:
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Adults to notice when things are worrying them, to understand, to listen and to help
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To have stable and trusting relationships with adults who are helping them
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To be respected, and told about decisions that may affect them
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To be listened to, have their views taken seriously and be involved in making any decisions
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To have someone help them put their views forward if they need it
Trusted Adult
A trusted adult is chosen by the young person as a safe figure that listens without judgement, agenda or expectation, with the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging positivity within a young persons life.
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