Child Abuse
Abuse (also called Significant Harm) can happen to a child at any age. Abusers can be adults but not just parents or carers, abuse often occurs within a relationship of trust, for example a teacher, carer, family friend or youth leader.
Abuse can happen to a child or young person at any age, from birth to when they have left school. It can happen in well-off families or poor families, from any ethnic background. It can happen children and young people whether or not they have a disability.
Abuse can happen because of the way adults or other children and young people behave towards a child or young person. It can also result from adults failing to provide proper care for the children they look after. A child or young person can suffer different kinds of abuse at the same time.
According to the NSPCC:
‘Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional, but can just as often be about a lack of love, care and attention. We know that neglect, whatever form it takes, can be just as damaging to a child as physical abuse.
An abused child will often experience more than one type of abuse, as well as other difficulties in their lives. It often happens over a period of time, rather than being a one-off event. And it can increasingly happen online.
We estimate that over half a million children are abused in the UK each year.’
According to the law, there are 4 main types of abuse that could cause harm or neglect. These are: