PROTECTING CHILDREN -A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: Guidance on Inter-Agency Co-operation

PROTECTING CHILDREN -A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: Guidance on Inter-Agency Co-operation

ANNEX C

DESCRIPTIONS OF CATEGORIES OF ABUSE FOR REGISTRATION

1. This Annex amplifies the descriptions of the categories of abuse for registration outlined in Part 3.

2. General definition of abuse - children may be in need of protection where their basic needs are not being met, in a manner appropriate to their stage of development, and they will be at risk from avoidable acts of commission or omission on the part of their parent(s), sibling(s) or other relative(s), or a carer (i.e. the person(s) while not a parent who has actual custody of a child).

3. To define an act or omission as abusive and/or presenting future risk for the purpose of registration a number of elements must be taken into account. These include demonstrable or predictable harm to the child which must have been avoidable because of action or inaction by the parent or other carer.

4. Categories of abuse - for recording all cases the following are the standard categories of abuse. Although these are presented as discrete definitions, in practice there may be overlap between categories. In such cases local authorities should enter the child’s name on the Child Protection Register under one main category of abuse although for the purpose of individual case management, the case conference may identify combinations of abuse categories which the child protection plan will need to address. It may also become necessary to change the category of abuse under which a child is registered as a case progresses.

Physical Injury
Actual or attempted physical injury to a child, including the administration of toxic substances, where there is knowledge, or reasonable suspicion, that the injury was inflicted or knowingly not prevented.

Sexual Abuse
Any child may be deemed to have been sexually abused when any person(s), by design or neglect, exploits the child, directly or indirectly, in any activity intended to lead to the sexual arousal or other forms of gratification of that person or any other person(s) including organised networks. This definition holds whether or not there has been genital contact and whether or not the child is said to have initiated, or consented to, the behaviour.

Non-Organic Failure to Thrive
Children who significantly fail to reach normal growth and developmental milestones (i.e. physical growth, weight, motor, social and intellectual development) where physical and genetic reasons have been medically eliminated and a diagnosis of non-organic failure to thrive has been established.

Emotional Abuse
Failure to provide for the child’s basic emotional needs such as to have a severe effect on the behaviour and development of the child.

Physical Neglect
This occurs when a child’s essential needs are not met and this is likely to cause impairment to physical health and development. Such needs include food, clothing, cleanliness, shelter and warmth. A lack of appropriate care, including deprivation of access to health care, may result in persistent or severe exposure, through negligence, to circumstances which endanger the child.