Child Protection
Definition of a child: A child is a boy or girl below the age of
18 years of age
Basic needs of a child: Each child has the right to have-
Food
Treated fairly – non discrimination of race, sex, colour
religion, social origin
Name and nationality
Survival rights: every child has the right of life, disables
children, health and health services (highest standard of
medical services and to be healthy), standard of living
( children have a right to an adequate standard of living for
their social, moral, physical and spiritual development),
Developmental rights are respected: education, health and
safety, leisure, recreation and cultural activities, freedom
of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression
Protection Rights: protected from abuse and neglect
(children have a right to be protected from all forms of
maltreatment from parents, caregivers or other
responsible parties),
separation from parents (to live with parents unless not in
their best interests and they have a right to maintain
contact with both parents if separated from one or both),
protection of a child without family (children without a
family have a right to receive special protection and
appropriate alternative family or institutional care)
Child labour, drug abuse, sexual exploitation,
other forms of exploitation (all children have a right to be
protected from all forms of exploitation harmful to their
welfare),
torture and deprivation of liberty ( no child should be
subjected to torture, cruel treatment or punishment,
unlawful arrest or deprivation of liberty)
The best interest of a child:
All actions undertaken by private and public
institutions should be geared to the best interest of
the child.
Child abuse
Domestic Violence and Institutional Abuse
Domestic Violence: takes place at a child’s household
Institutional Violence takes place in a care service.
What is child abuse:
Child abuse / maltreatment / ill-treatment
Child abuse and neglect = harm or the danger of harm that
happens to a child under the age of 18 yrs, because of action
or inaction by an older and/or more powerful person.
Often it can be a parent or caregiver.
Most often reported cases of abuse occur in the immediate
environment of the child by those who have the responsibility
to care for the child, caregiver, parent, guardian, baby sitter.
Any child maltreatment will result in serious harmful
behaviours and outcomes.
Criteria:
1) Child abuse results in some kind of injury or harm to the
child. Either : physical or psychological
2) Someone who has the care of the child at the time of the
injury or harm causes the injury or harm: parents,
caregivers, relatives, babysitters, siblings, teachers etc.
3) The injury or harm is not the result of an accident but
rather of a deliberate act resulting from either something
done or not done by the person caring for the child.
4) The severity of the injury or harm is likely to cause
ongoing detrimental effects to the child. (repeated)
Physical and psychological damage caused to the child by the
abusive behaviours of others, or the failures of others to
protect the child of such damage.
Types of Abuse:
Physical Abuse: non-accidental physical injury inflicted on a
child which can endanger or impair a child’s physical or
emotional health development.
Sexual Abuse: When someone involves the child in sexual
activity.
Neglect: occurs when there is a failure to provide for the
basic needs of a child (food, love, care) which the child needs
to grow happy and healthy.
Emotional Abuse: may involve verbal abuse, failure to
provide the love, affection, care and warmth necessary for a
child’s healthy emotional growth and development.
This can result in the child’s poor self esteem.
Belittling
Constant yelling
Criticizing
Threatening
Isolating
Devaluing
Rejecting
It can also include poor interaction with the child, such as
ignoring him/her so that the child feels unloved, isolated
and insecure.
As caregivers it is our role to report that a child has
been abused or at risk. It is mandatory as care givers to
report child abuse.
It is our moral obligation and our duty of care to report
any child at risk of child abuse.
Duty of Care
Child carers have a duty to report cases of suspected child
abuse. If a child carer fails in his/her duty to report a case
of child abuse, then their service could be sued for
negligence.
