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New Research Adds Knowledge on Resiliency

* Environments: Goal is to raise kids in caring, supportive with high expectations, positive interactions

*2/3 of abused adolescents become successful by 32
*Move from Damage model to Challenge model
*7 traits of resilience: insight, initiative, independence, relationships, creativity, humor, morality
*Establishing relationship between student and teacher means successful mental health

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Harvard Mental Health Letter. Biology of Child Maltreatment June 2005

*Early experiences can have many long-term affects on the biological systems that govern responses to stress

*Childhood maltreatment is the most common predictor of depression in adults
*A depressed mother raises the level of CRF in the child she is carrying
*PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is usually preceded by an acute stress reaction
*Women with PTSD resulting from childhood abuse showed abnormal activity in the frontal lobes
*People who suffer maltreatment as children are more vulnerable to  PTSD because the brain has “learned” that there is no protection in stressful situations

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Britannica online “Child Abuse” Search Result 6/27/2005

*Webs best sites

*Website on abuse in the form of child pornography

*Many websites on child abuse

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Working with the Abused Child in the Classroom

*Teacher can play significant role in rehab of abused child
*Create Security, Structure, Identity

*Consistency/Predictability, Approval

*Sense of Belonging, Appropriate intimacy

*Create + self image, Be supportive of family

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American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Child Sexual Abuse

*reported up to 80K year, far greater with under reporting

*Child cannot mentally handle repeated sexual attempts

*Children become torn between love and the understanding of the wrongness of the acts
*Talk to children, listen to children, educate children

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AACP Responding to Child Sexual Abuse: What to Say, What to Do

*Listen to child, understand what they are disclosing

*Reassure the child
*Assure child they are not at fault
*Protect child, take action to stop abuse

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Sex abuse leaves kids powerless

*Molester has power, kids are powerless

*Molester operates in secrecy, blames child for the sexual abuse
*Molester plays psychological games, deludes self that he cares about/for child

*Children/victims see self as sex object, turn off feelings, feel shame, guilt, betrayed

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Romance starts with lie, ends in tragedy

*Girl lied about age, boy convicted of 3^rd degree rape

*Girl and father argued? Dad’s motivation for filing charges?

*Boy and girl continue seeing each other

*Boy fears probation violation, kills self

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How to Handle Disclosure

*Listen, be calm, believe the disclosure

*Thank the child fro trusting you, reassure, do not push for details

*Do not confront accused, call authorities

*Explain to the child what will occur

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Reporters Rights under the RCW

*Legal responsibility to report

*Protection from being sued as a result of report

*Your name should not be disclosed to parents

*You are free from harassment by parents

*Parents cannot threaten you

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Sample CPS Report Form

*Vital info of child, school  and incident

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Second Sample CPS Report Form

*Contact person listed CPS?

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Documentation

*To help remember the incident/details

*Maintain credibility with documentation

*Personal notes good idea

*Make documentation system simple in order to use it

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Parents work to discipline without damage

*If it leaves lingering mark, it is abuse

*When angry some parents cannot think straight

*Violent actions can make children feel stupid, worthless, they learn loved ones hurt you, and it is okay to hurt others

*Crisis line, Parents anonymous, good resources

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Understanding and reporting child abuse: legal and psychological perspective: Part two: emotional abuse and secondary abuse

*Emotional abuse is “a pattern of physically destructive behavior inflicted  by an adult on a child

*Emotional abuse may have more negative impact on development than physical abuse

*Adult behavior such as rejection, isolation, terrorizing the child, ignoring, and corrupting the child could have the effect of making a child feel worthless

*Verbal or emotional assault such as name calling or making threats to a child are also abusive

*Tying or binding a child or keeping them in a closed area are forms of emotional abuse involving “torturous restriction of movement.”

*It has become more popular in America that it is not abuse if there is not a physical component involved

*Adult women abused by their partners are usually only willing to admit emotional abuse if they were physically abused

*Whether the child is abused while the parent is under the influence or sober, the child is often not able to differentiate the sober and meaning it and the not sober and not meaning it, the child takes it as a negative comment and feels unwanted

*Parental substance abuse has many negative affects but not all emotionally abusive parents are substance abusers

*Emotionally abusive parents will usually insult or ridicule the child in front of friends, siblings, even teachers

*Emotionally abusive parents are usually cold and distant

*It has been noted that emotionally abusive parents were in fact victims of child abuse themselves

* Emotionally abused children tend to always have the concern that they won’t measure up to other people and that other people will abandon them

*As children get older they are unable to trust others and allow other people to get close to them

*Deciding whether or not  child has suffered emotional abuse is one of the most difficult tasks

*Secondary abuse is when children observe violent behavior between their parents

*There is a significant relationship  between poverty and domestic violence

*Alcohol abuse has been shown to predict various forms of violence among spouses

*Partner abuse emerges more frequently over time

*Victims of domestic violence are often displaying a helplessness syndrome

*Women often times reluctant to report abuse for fear of losing their children

*Over half of the children who display domestic violence show symptoms of traumatic stress syndrome

*It has been shown that even witnessing others be abused could cause PTSD

*Symptoms of PTSD- internalizing problems, feelings of shame, hopelessness, fearfulness, and or social withdrawal

*Children exposed to violence are more likely to deal with anger and frustration in a violent manor

*effects of secondary abuse are similar to emotional abuse

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Child Abuse and neglect: A Practical Guide for Professional School Counselors

*Most ethical dilemma confronting PSC’s do not involve a right or wrong answer

*Deciding whether to report possible student abuse is the second most common dilemma

*3-5 children die everyday as a result of abuse
*Children 1 and under accounted for 44% of child abuse deaths in 2000

*Girls are 4 times more likely to experience sexual abuse

*Sexual abuse can cause feelings of shame, self blame, and could cause self mutilation or other destructive behaviors

*Child abuse is a state crime

*Symptoms do not necessarily mean the child is abused

*Sexual abuse may be defined as sexual involvement imposed upon a child

*The reporter of abuse does not have to have proof, substantial suspicion is enough

*The goal is to stop abuse and neglect from even occurring

*Best way to prevent abuse is to support parents and families

*All school personnel must be educated in the identification of abuse

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Thurston Community Network: Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Resources and Outside Links

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Child Abuse Exam

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