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Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Protection of Children |
Revised: |
38.3 |
CONDITIONS OF A PARENT INDICATING POSSIBLE ABUSE/NEGLECT OF CHILDREN |
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The information has been provided from the
Child Protective Services manual for the caseworker to use in evaluating
whether child abuse/neglect might exist and/or whether a referral to
Department of Children’s Services for further evaluation is in order. |
·
Isolation
from family supports such as relatives, friends, neighbors, and community
groups. ·
Appearance
of trusting no one. ·
Reluctance
to give information about the child’s condition or injuries. Unable to offer an explanation or the
explanation is far-fetched, contradictory, or plausible but unlikely. ·
Responds inappropriately
to the seriousness of the child’s condition either by overreacting (hostile
or antagonistic) or by under-reacting (exhibiting little concern or awareness
and seeming more preoccupied with their own problems). ·
Refusal to
consent to diagnostic studies of the child. ·
Failure or
delay in taking the child for medical care for routine checkups, optometric
or dental care or for treatment of injuries or illness. ·
Overly
critical of the child and seldom, if ever, discusses the child in positive
terms. ·
Unrealistic
expectation of the child, expecting or demanding behavior that is beyond the
child’s years of ability. ·
Belief in
the necessity of harsh punishment for children. ·
Seldom
touches or looks at the child; ignores the child’s crying or reacts with
impatience. ·
Keeps the
child confined, perhaps in a crib or playpen, for overlong
periods of time. ·
Seems to
lack understanding of child’s physical, emotional and psychological needs. ·
Appears to
be misusing alcohol or drugs. ·
Cannot be
located. ·
Appears to
lack control, or fears losing control, of children or self. ·
Lacks
knowledge of parenting skills. ·
Appears to
be borderline in intelligence, psychotic or
psychopathic. ·
Exhibits
generally irrational behavior. ·
Gives child
inappropriate food, drink or medication. The above lists are not all-inclusive, but are some indicator that
conditions are conducive to abuse/neglect.
As in any situation involving human beings, a particular observable
condition must be viewed in relation to other conditions existing in a
family. However, if a child and his
parent both exhibit any one of the listed conditions, a referral will be made
to the Department of Children’s Services for the protection of the child. |
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