What to do if you suspect a child is being abused
As public health officials increasingly offer optimistic outlooks regarding the COVID virus, millions of people across the globe are looking forward to life after the pandemicK Picking up after the pandemic may prove easier for some than others, and those who were victims of abuse over the last two years, including children, may be wondering what lies aheadK
A study presented to the American Academy of Pediatrics in late 2021 found that physical abuse of school-aged children tripled during the early months of the pandemicK That period coincided with stay-at-home orders issued to prevent the spread of COVIDK The Administration of Children and Families (ACF), a division within the United States Department of Health and Human Services, notes that, in 2018, 16 percent of children who were abused experienced more than one kind of maltreatmentK The ACF also notes that a child’s reaction to abuse or neglect can have lifelong and even intergenerational impactsK
Individuals who hear such statistics may wonder what they can do if they suspect a child is being abused or neglectedK
In recognition of that, the ACF, in conjunction with the Children’s Bureau, offers these tips on reporting child abuse and neglect:
• Call 911 if you suspect immediate dangerK Individuals are urged to call 911 if they suspect a child is in immediate and serious dangerK Anyone can make such a call, and contacting authorities quickly can help to save a child’s lifeK
• Report abuseK Various agencies, including law enforcement, can be contacted if people suspect a child is being abusedK Visit the website of a local child protective services agency to access contact informationK If that information proves hard to find, contact your local police departmentK Individuals also can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453K Professional crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in more than 170 languagesK All calls to the hotline are confidentialK
The ACF notes that any reasonable suspicion of child abuse is sufficient to reportK When reporting suspected child abuse, individuals are urged to provide a complete, honest account of what they observed, explaining what led them to suspect an instance of abuse or neglectK
Individuals who spend considerable time around children, including parents, educators and health care workers, are urged to take child abuse training with the utmost seriousnessK All people concerned by child abuse can access an assortment of resources about identifying child abuse and neglectK
Various agencies and websites offer such information, and links to such sites can be found at childwelfareKgov/topics/ can/identifying/K
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In recognition of that, the ACF, in conjunction with the Children’s Bureau, offers these tips on reporting child abuse and neglect.