The professional’s role

·   Handout B-1 “The Professional’s Role” and Teacher’s Key

Distribute Handout B-1. Give time for each participant to write down the potential signs of abuse and neglect. We have all heard stories of people who have been questioned regarding a child’s injury or condition. For example, a father takes his three-week old infant to the emergency room with an injury. The ER physician diagnoses a spiral fracture of the leg. But because the father cannot explain the injury, and such fractures are usually the result of physical trauma, the physician contacts CPS to file a report of suspected abuse. The father is shocked and maintains his innocence. Facilitate a short discussion on the potentially conflicting roles a professional carries out:

·   Identifying children who are neglected or abused.

·   Protecting children from any type of harm.

·   Establishing trusting relationships with family members.

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The Child:

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The following signs may signal the presence of child abuse or neglect:

·   Shows sudden changes in behavior or performance

·   Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parent’s attention

·   Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes.

·   Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen

·   Lacks adult supervision

·   Is overly compliant, passive or withdrawn

·   Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones or black eyes

·   Offers conflicting explanations as to how the injury occurred

·   Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school

·   Is frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home

·   Shrinks at the approach of adults

·   Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver

 

The Parent or other Adult Caregiver:

·   Shows little concern for the child

·   Denies the existence of- or blames the child for- the child’s problems in school or at home

·   Asks providers to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves

·   Sees the child as entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome

·   Demands a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve

·   Looks primarily to the child for care, attention and satisfaction of emotional needs

·   Offers conflicting, unconvincing or no explanation for the child’s injury

·   Describes the child as “evil” or in some other very negative way

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Uses harsh physical discipline with the child

·   Rarely touch or look at each other

·   Consider their relationship entirely negative

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