1. Think about the types of harm
Question & Answer
What should I do if I think a child is being abused or neglected?The harm may have already happened or may be something that might happen.
Examples of physical harm include:
- physical force that results in pain or injury to a child
- when a child is punched, slapped, choked, burned, or pushed
- throwing objects at a child
Examples of sexual harm include:
- involving a child in sexual activity
- exposing a child to pornography
- getting a child to take part in sex work or producing pornography
Examples of emotional harm include:
- when a child is yelled at, ignored, rejected, insulted, or isolated
- exposing a child to partner abuse
- threatening a child
Other examples of harm are:
- Where a parent isn't able to deal with a child who is causing serious injury to another person, or serious damage to another person's property.
- Where the child is at risk of harm because a parent:
- has a history of harming children
- isn't able to care for the child because of drug or alcohol abuse or mental health issues
- has limited care giving skills
Harm can also include when a child's basic needs for things like food, shelter, sleep, or clothing are not being met. This is called neglect.
