How to Handle Potential Child Abuse
Children are abused everyday right under the noses of many people. It is important for everyone to learn the signs and symptoms of child abuse. There are ways to research how to handle potential child abuse. It is always better to err on the side of caution and report your findings and suspicions to local child protective agencies. Try to be a source of support to the child, and look for obvious unexplained physical signs.
- Assess how well you know the child. There are ways to learn how to handle potential child abuse. Attempt to get a feel for what is going on with the child in other situations such as their home if you are a close family friend, neighbor or relative.
- Research signs and symptoms of child abuse to know what to look for. Children will often protect their abuser. Many times the child feels the abuse is their fault.
- Look for signs of withdrawal from normal activities. Wearing long sleeves or high collars when the weather is warm is suspicious. The child may be hiding signs of physical abuse.
- Know that abuse comes in many different forms. The child may act out the abuse in a game format. This is a good approach for someone looking for more information.
- Realize that teachers, social workers and healthcare professionals are obligated to report obvious signs of child abuse to the proper authorities. It is a little more complicated when the abuse signs are subtle, and you do not have evidence to support your suspicions.
- Note that anybody can call the local child protection services and ask for advice on how to handle the situation. There are some people who abuse this anonymous system of reporting and make up things to report. Only report what you have observed. It is all right to voice your concerns.
- Become someone the child can talk to if you are able. You might be in a position to get the child to open up by talking.