Child Abuse Packet 1

Revised June 27, 2005

EDUCATORS GUIDE TO CPS

WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES?

Child Protective Services (CPS) is part of the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) which is part of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The law requires that CPS staff investigate reports of suspected childe abuse or neglect. CPS seeks to assure the safety of children. One of the jobs of CPS is helping parents get the services that are available to build a better family relationship.

What IS YOUR ROLE AS AN EDUCATOR?

Child abuse is a violation of children’s human rights and an obstacle to their educational development. Educators are in a unique position to identify and observe these children who need help and protection. Early detection of child abuse and neglect is crucial in breaking the cycle of violence and preventing further physical and emotional damage to a child. School personnel are required by Washington State Law to report suspected incident of abuse and neglect. In doing so, they have civil immunity under the law for good faith reporting. Failure to report can result in a gross misdemeanor charge.

WHAT CONSTITUTES CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT?

Definition of Abuse and Neglect: There are multiple definitions and stipulations to what constitutes child abuse and neglect. There are 4 main types of abuse; physical, emotional, neglect and sexual. It is important to be familiar with all of them so that you can report when you need to.

WHAT SHOULD EDUCATORS REPORT?

The law specifies that you must report when you have reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect. There are several indicators of each type of abuse that would be helpful to become familiar with.

HOW DO I RESPOND TO A CHILD’S DISCLOSURE?

The educator’s role is not to investigate or verify the situation, but rather to make the report and set in motion the process of getting help for the child. Reassure the child, tell the child what to expect, Call CPS, be calm, avoid having the child repeat him/herself, Let the child know that you must tell CPS, Reassure the child that it is not his/her fault, trust your gut feeling, understand the importance of early reporting, and maintain a supportive presence for the child.

HOW DO I REPORT ABUSE OR NEGLECT?

	Report should include:
Report suspected abuse in 48 hours	Child’s name, address, DOB
Report prior to contacting the family	Parent’s name, address and phone numbers
Call the report in early in the day	Nature and extent of the suspected abuse
Each incident of abuse will need a new report	Information on previous injuries, background data
	Identity of the alleged abuser (if known)
Your responsibility to report can not be waived by administrative veto. Reporting anonymously does not meet the mandatory reporting obligations of an educator.

HOW DOES CPS RESPOND?

Depending on the risk matrix CPS will respond appropriately. CPS/Law Enforcement are allowed to speak to the child at school without their parents present. They may take the child into custody. All cases will be reviewed every 90 days. There are many free services that CPS can offer to parents for support and rehabilitation.

DSHS CPS RISK FACTOR MATRIX

Risk level for action or case planning is determined by this matrix. The higher the point value the higher the risk. Below are the categories.

· Child Characteristics	· Severity of CA/N
· Chronicity	· Caretaker Characteristics
· Caretaker Relationship	· Low (1 point)
· Perpetrator Access	· Moderate (3 points)
· Social and Economic Factors	· High (5 points)

NAIC Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptom, September 2003
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov

The first step in helping abused or neglected children is learning to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect.

If you need more information on how to file a report, call the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD).

The article lists signs that may signal the presence of child abuse or neglect for the Child, The Parent(s), and the Parent and Child. It designates types of abuse and their signs: physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Types of abuse are typically found in combination rather than alone.

Child Abuse. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 27, 2005, from
Encyclopedia Britannica Online
http://search.eb.com/eb/article?tocid=9024056

Child abuse, also called cruelty to children-The willful infliction of pain and suffering on children through physical, sexual, or emotional mistreatment. In addition to inordinate physical violence, unjustifiable verbal abuse; the failure to furnish proper shelter, nourishment, medical treatment, or emotional support; incest and other cases of sexual molestations or rape; and the use of children in prostitution or pornography can be considered abuse.

Child abuse is often overlooked by family, friends and health professionals. Some reasons are prejudice, anxiety, or shame coupled with denial.

Child abuse can have serious future consequences for its victims including delays in physical growth, impaired language and cognitive abilities, and problems in personality development, learning and behavior.

Some say that parental abuse can be viewed as maladaptive responses to stressful situations and feelings of powerlessness. A large portion of adults that abuse where abused as children. These parents repeat the patterns with their children.

Consequences for the abusers can range from incarceration of the offender, removal of the child from the custody of the abuser. Some abusers are glad to be found out.

In the US in 1875 New York was the first state to legislate protection for children. In 1972 the US created a National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. By the 1980s most states adopted some form of mandatory reporting procedures that required professionals that had contact with children were required to report suspected abuse. Victims were also being supported.

By the 1980s, child abuse was considered a leading social problem in the US and other Western Countries. There was a concern of psychotherapist bringing out repressed memories and possible people leading the victim in their questioning.

In the 1990s many US states passed sexual-predator laws, which provided included lengthy prison sentences as well as Community Notification laws.

The surging interest in child abuse, child protection, and children’s rights was one of the most significant social developments of the late 20^th century.

Bancroft, Sharon, “Becoming Heroes: Teachers Can Help Abused Children.”
Educational Leadership, October 1997, 69-71

In the face of discouraging and overwhelming facts about child abuse and neglect, teachers should not only report cases of child abuse, but also help children become resilient.

Teachers don’t need to be told that of every six cases of abuse reported, only one will receive more than passing attention and for every six cases reported, 18 go unreported.

2/3 of teacher-initiated reports may still go no farther than the principal’s desk.

1.       We need to look at statistics and case histories that demonstrate the enormity and breadth of a devastating social problem that crosses socioeconomic and cultural groups.

2.       We learn what to look for, what to say to the disclosing child, when and how to report to the authorities.

3.       2/3s of the children who desperately need help are masquerading as normal so convincingly that their abuse will go completely undetected.

Teachers can make a huge difference. We need to focus on the children’s capacity for resilience and how we can promote it.

Attitudinal Barriers:

1. Fear of Liability

a. Concern about touch is legitimate. We need to establish clear policies that protect our ability to be emotionally responsive to students, while protecting our right and theirs to be safe.

2. Personal concerns around parenting and teaching,

a. Parenting and teaching are hard work. We learn that coercion works-at least in the short term.

3. Wanting not to know,

a. As teachers we must brace ourselves to listen and to believe.

4. Political or religious affiliation.

a. Some argue that emotional and interpersonal family problems are not the province of the government or the schools. This attitude gets in the way of programs that help children.

Systematic Barriers:

1. Where in the system is resilience training?

2. Raising the academic performance bar without also addressing students’ affective needs does nothing to build children’s capacity to aim high.

3. When our curriculum includes communication and conflict management strategies, we inspire abused children to break the cycle.

TEACHERS CAN pay attention to children’s basic needs, provide snacks, a place to shower, provide cloth drives, offering opportunities for community service projects, peer medication, cross-age tutoring, drug abuse resistance and refusal skills training and mentoring programs.

Rodriguez-Srednicki, Ofelia PH.D. and Twaite, James A. PH.D., ED.D.,
“UNDERSTANDING AND REPORTING CHILD ABUSE: LEGAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSECTIVES
PART ONE: PHYSICAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT.”
The Journal of Psychiatry & Law 32/Fall 2004

3 Million Reports were made to CPS agencies alleging that one or more children were being abused or neglected in 2001. Approximately 2/3 were screened and warranted further investigation. 28% (903,000, 12.4 children per 1,000) resulted in finding that one or more children were being maltreated or at risk.

Every state and the District of Columbia have laws identifying individuals who have a statutory duty to report suspected child maltreatment. These reporters are typically medical professionals, school professionals, licensed day care providers or other people care for children.

In 1974 the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Ace (CAPTA) established the Office on Child abuse and Neglect and the National Clearinghouse on child Abuse and Neglect information. CAPTA also developed standards for definitions of child abuse and neglect. CAPTA guidelines constitute minimum standards only.

In 1998 approximately 1,100 children died as a result of physical abuse (38% were under 1; 78% were under 5, and virtually all of them were under the age of 12).

There are differing definitions between states and agencies. This sometimes makes collecting data difficult.

Green noted that about half of the victims of child sexual abuse are victimized repeatedly, and that in many cases the molestation takes place over a period of years. Some estimates show that 75%-89% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone within the child’s immediate social circle, including family member, relatives, friends of the family and neighbors.

The typical molester reported having committed between 2-5 times as many crimes as he was ever charged with. It may be difficult to determine whether alleged abuse actually occurred. Physical evidence is often absent.

Child Neglect is the most frequently occurring form of child abuse in the U.S. Approximately 2 million children experience parental neglect each year.

Child abuse and neglect-any recent act or failure to act by a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which present and imminent risk of serious harm.

Sexual abuse- the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of caretaker or interfamilial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children. In 1993 143,000 cases of child sexual abuse were reported.

Child-any person under the age of 18 years should be considered a child. Although the age specified in the CP legislation of the particular state takes precedence over the federal guideline.

Incest- Cohabitation between persons related to a degree where marriage would be prohibited by law. Father-daughter incest is the most thought of, but brother-sister incest is quite common.

Type of Abuse- (1) physical abuse; (2) sexual abuse; (3) neglect; (4) emotional abuse; (5) secondary abuse.

1. physical abuse- of a child occurs whenever someone commits an intentional act that causes a physical injury to a child. These injuries may include bruises, burns, fractures, cuts, punctures, or organ damage. In addition, physical abuse may begin before birth if the child’s mother uses illegal drugs, misuses medications, or fails to secure prenatal care (According to Johnson).

a. Causes of abuse

i. Becoming a parent at a very early age.

ii. Being a single parent.

iii. Having several young children who are close together in age.

iv. Having a history of poor impulse control or violence.

v. Having been abused themselves as children.

vi. Parents witnessing abuse as a child

vii. Parents with a history of mental illness

b. Environmental Stressors that have been related to the occurrence of abuse.

i. Poverty

ii. Lack of an adequate social support

iii. Unemployment

iv. Homelessness or inadequate housing

v. Moving frequently acculturative stress and

vi. The experience of discrimination based on one’s status as a minority group member.

c. Physically abused children develop symptoms

i. State of constant alertness

ii. Hypervigilant w/the respect of forthcoming violence

iii. Tense, anxious and hyperactive

iv. Impulsive and frequently diagnosed with ADD or ADHD

v. Fearful and higher occurrence of nightmare and terrors

vi. Overly aggressive

vii. Tendency to manifest conduct disorders, delinquency, and violence

viii. Generally more disturbed than non-abused children.

ix. Feelings of helplessness

2. Sexual abuse- The use of a child under 18 years of age as an object of gratification for adult sexual needs and desires, according to Green.

a. Common Forms

i. Exhibitionism

ii. Fondling

iii. Masturbation

iv. Vaginal oral, and/or anal intercourse performed by a male perpetrator.

b. Psychological symptoms of sexual abuse

i. Fearfulness and anxiety-related symptoms

ii. Depression and suicidal behavior

iii. Hysterical and dissociative symptoms

iv. Insecure attachment and mistrust

v. Impaired peer relationships

vi. Poor academic adjustment

vii. Low self-esteem

viii. Substance use and other self-destructive behaviors

ix. Disturbances in sexual behavior

3. Neglect-CAPTA defines neglect as the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs in one or more of the four area, as follows: (1) physical needs, including the need for food or shelter, and the need for appropriate supervision to prevent possible injury that might result from unsupervised behaviors on the part of the child; (2) medical needs, including both physical and mental health treatment; (3) educational needs, including not only regular education for most children, but also special education for children with special education needs; and (4) emotional needs.

a. Abandonment-the desertion of a child without arrange for reasonable care and supervision. A child is considered to be abandoned when a parent leaves the child somewhere or with someone for a period of 48 hours or more without providing information as to his or her whereabouts.

b. Expulsion-occurs when a parent excludes a child from the home without making adequate arrangement for care by others, or when a parent refuses to accept a returned runaway child back into the home.

c. Effects of child neglect

i. Malnutrition

ii. Inadequate hygiene and clothing

iii. Social isolation

iv. Depression and aggression

v. Increased problems in school

vi. Lower academic achievement

Kantrowitz, Barbara, “Child Abuse in Cyberspace,”
Newsweek, April 18, 1994. p40

Specific Points:

· Opportunities for on-line pedophilia are escalating as both kids and pedophiles become more computer literate.

· A warning should go out to parents.

o Pedophiles go where the kids are and , increasingly, the kids- especially the boys-are hooked up to computer networks. Instead of hanging around the playground looking for the loneliest kids.

· Potential child molesters merely have to log on. Many of the victims are latchkey kids home only with only a screen for company.

· No one actually knows how many pedophiles are on-line, although officials say child pornography is readily available on the internet.

· The police are technologically outgunned.

· Officials say that at the moment, the best defense against on line pedophilia is at home.

o Put the computer in a public area

o Install parental control options

o Talk to your kids about on-line dangers

§ The rule should be the same as on the street or at a park-BEWARE OF STRANGERS!

Physical and Behavioral Indicators of Child Abuse and Neglect

Workshop Handout, OSPI

Handout is pretty specific. In class discussion of handout included additional information.

· Physical Abuse

o Aggressiveness and Withdrawal stem from Fight/Flight.

o School is safe

· Physical Neglect

o Unattended medical needs can conflict with religious beliefs.

o Grant money can be attained for school from HAAS foundation.

· Sexual Abuse

o Behavioral Indicators could include wearing seductive clothing.

o Physical Indicators could include Morbid Obesity.

o Behavioral Indicators could include suicidal ideation.

· Moments are what matter!

· Recommended books

o Child called it

o Touching: The Human Significance of Skin

“Child Abuse-The Hidden Bruises.”

Facts for Families, Fact No. 5 (11/95)

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1997.

http://www.aacap.or/factsfam/childabuse.html

Specific Notes:

· Often the severe emotional damage to abused children does not surface until adolescence or later, when many abused children become abusing parent.

· Children who have been abused may display:

o A poor self image

o Inability to depend on, trust or love another

o Aggressive and disruptive—sometimes illegal—behavior

o Passive and withdrawn behavior; fear of entering into a new relationship or activities

o School failure

o Serious drug and alcohol use.

· The child and adolescent psychiatrist is able to treat the “whole child,” including medical as well as psychological or emotions problems that have occurred as a result of the abuse.

· Through treatment the abused child begins to regain a sense of self-confidence and trust.

· Battering is not the only kind of child abuse.

· Many children are victims of neglect, or sexual or emotion abuse.

· The child and family can benefit from the comprehensive evaluation and care of a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Houtz, Jolayne, “What Every Family Needs to Know.”

The Seattle Times, Sunday February 6, 1994

Question and Answers

Q: If I feel a teacher is acting inappropriately toward my child what should I do?

A: First, talk to your child. Ask non-leading, open ended questions. Then go to the principal. It is his or her responsibility to check our allegations of teacher misconduct. Acknowledge that you could be wrong, but you feel you must tell someone. But if you don’t get any answers and the behavior persists, go to the superintendent or call the police.

Q: Should I let me kids go on overnight field trips with a teacher?

A: An overnight field trip with only one teacher is not a good idea. It’s better to have two teachers, preferably a man and a woman, to supervise the trip. The trip should be sanctioned by the school district, and school officials should know how to reach the group. The best way to protect your children is to go along yourself as a parent volunteer.

Q: What do schools teach now in terms of protecting children from abuse?

A: Many schools are using a curriculum developed by the Seattle-King County Health Department for grades 5-12. Research shows If parents are talking about it, children are going to learn better.

· Listen to your child.

· Not only are abusers difficult to spot, but victims often are reluctant to come forward.

· No one wants to believe a teacher is doing it, but it can happen.

· State law requires school district to fingerprint and do background check on school and employees and volunteers who work directly with students.

· State law requires school officials to report allegations of abuse to CPS within 48 hours.

· Sex offenders are required to register when released from prison.

· Child molesters prey on both sexes.

Child abuse can happen at any age. A child may become more physically able to take care of himself as he gets older, but he remains emotionally vulnerable.

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