Chapter Six:
Child Maltreatment
Trigger warning: This chapter is on child maltreatment and may be triggering for some readers. Please note that Saskatchewan Polytechnic offers free counselling to all students. Please reach out if you are struggling with your mental health. For contact information please visit Counselling Services.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Defining the Types of Child Maltreatment
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Abuse
Neglect
Exposure to Family Violence
The Impact of Child Maltreatment
Preventative Maltreatment in Early Childhood Education Programs
Principles of Effective Prevention Programs
Service for Indigenous Families
Physical and Behavioural Signs of Child Maltreatment
Common Signs of Child Maltreatment
Signs of Maltreatment Related to Specific Types of Abuse
Understanding the Cause of Child Maltreatment
Background
Psycho-Social Model
Who Do You Report Suspected Child Maltreatment to?
What to Include When You Report Suspected Child Maltreatment
After the Report is Made – What to expect
Working With Children Who Have Been Maltreated.
References
DUTY TO REPORT
If you work with children in a family child care home or licensed child care facility, you are legally required or mandated to report and cannot shift the responsibility of reporting to your supervisor or to anyone else at your licensed facility.
Canadian Child and Family Services Act states “…every person who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child is in need of protection shall report the information to an officer or peace officer”.[1]
Chapter 6: Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
- Define the five types of child maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, family violence and neglect).
- Identify risk factors for child maltreatment.
- Discuss protective factors and prevention strategies.
- List signs of each type of maltreatment.
- Explain what mandated reporting is and who it applies to.
Introduction
Ensuring that all children are safe and cared for is your primary responsibility. In accordance to the Canadian Child and Family Services Act: Section 12 states, you must report all suspected cases of child maltreatment to Social Services, and Child Protection agencies in your province or territory. In this chapter, you will begin to understand what child maltreatment is, what forms of child maltreatment there are, and how to report it to Child Protection Services (CPS).
Defining Child Maltreatment
Child maltreatment is defined as “… a misuse of power – a person with greater physical, intellectual, or emotional power and authority controls a child in a way that does not contribute to the child’s health, growth, and development.” [2] (Pimento & Kernested, 2019, p. 474).
You’ll work in close contact with a variety of young children and their families. It’s important you know and understand signs which indicate a child has been maltreated. Maltreatment can happen in a child’s home, o