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Maltreatment

Related Terms • Abuse and Neglect • Sexual Abuse • Sexual Abuse Symptomology

BOOK SUGGESTION

"Parenting the Hurt Child: Helping Adoptive Families Heal & Grow" by Regina M. Kupecky, Gregory C. Keck More books

Definition: Physical abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Federal CAPTA legislation (P.L. 104-235) provides definitions that identify a minimum set of acts or behaviors that characterize maltreatment. Each State is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect within the State's civil and criminal context.

Child Abuse and Neglect, according to the Federal legislation, is at a minimum:

• Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation.
• An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.
• Child abuse and neglect typically includes physical as well as emotional abuse (which causes psychological or mental injury), in addition to various types of neglect.

Sexual Abuse is defined in the Federal definition as:

• The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation on such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
• The rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

Also Known As:Child abuse

Related Resources:

False Abuse Allegations, Adoption, and Foster Care
Child abuse is a national tragedy and greatly under-reported; however, many people do not realize that one-third to one-half of all child abuse alerts turn out to be unfounded or mistaken. False abuse allegations can destroy families and ultimately hurt the children who make the accusations. Dr. Rita Laws provides valuable information for adoptive and foster parents about why these allegations may occur, what they can do, and where to find help.

Elsewhere on the Web:

Parenting the Sexually Abused Child
Advice, guidance and resources for adoptive and prospective parents from the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Parenting Traumatized Adopted Children
A look at what constitutes trauma, and some loving parenting techniques to help, by Dee M. Paddock, M.A., NCC.

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Source/Adapted from: National Adoption Information Clearinghouse

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