Kerang South Primary School Spotting the Warning Signs of Child Abuse for School Staff Child Safe Standard 5 When should I act? You MUST act even if you are unsure and have not observed the abuse. You MUST following the Four Critical Actions for Schools: Responding to Incidents, Disclosures or Suspicions of Child Abuse. Failure to act can be a criminal offence. What is child abuse? Child abuse can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, grooming, emotional or psychological harm, neglect or family violence. It doesn’t have to involve physical contact or force. Child abuse can include: talking to a child in a sexually explicit way grooming a child for future sexual activity forcing a child to watch pornography witness to family violence failing to provide a child with an adequate standard of nutrition, supervision or medical care to the extent that their development of the child is placed at serious risk, or is significantly impaired. Who is most likely to be impacted by child abuse? Any child can be victim to child abuse, however children who are vulnerable, isolated and/or have a disability are disproportionately abused. Abuse is often committed by someone the child knows well such as a family member or someone within the school setting. In fact, child abuse can be committed by any member of the community. Regardless of who the perpetrator or victim is the trauma of child abuse can have devastating impacts upon a child’s wellbeing and development that can last for the rest of their life. This is why it is critical that we respond immediately to any form of suspected abuse within our school communities. What are the signs that a child has been abused? The most common physical and behavioural indicators of child abuse are outlined below. This is not an exhaustive list. If you feel uncomfortable about a child’s physical presentation or behaviour, but have not directly witnessed or been told about abuse, or risk of abuse, you should still act. You can seek further advice contact and if you form a reasonable belief that a child has been abused, is being abused, or is at risk of abuse then you MUST follow the Four Critical Actions for Schools: Responding to Incidents, Disclosures or Suspicions of Child Abuse. COMMON PHYSICAL INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSE bruises, welts, cuts/grazes or burns (especially those on back, bottom, legs, arms and inner thighs or in unusual configurations and may resemble an object) internal injuries and bone fractures not consistent with the explanation offered
Kerang South Primary School Spotting the Warning Signs of Child Abuse for School Staff Child Safe Standard 5 When should I act? You MUST act even if you are unsure and have not observed the abuse. You MUST following the Four Critical Actions for Schools: Responding to Incidents, Disclosures or Suspicions of Child Abuse. Failure to act can be a criminal offence. What is child abuse? Child abuse can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, grooming, emotional or psychological harm, neglect or family violence. It doesn’t have to involve physical contact or force. Child abuse can include: talking to a child in a sexually explicit way grooming a child for future sexual activity forcing a child to watch pornography witness to family violence failing to provide a child with an adequate standard of nutrition, supervision or medical care to the extent that their development of the child is placed at serious risk, or is significantly impaired. Who is most likely to be impacted by child abuse? Any child can be victim to child abuse, however children who are vulnerable, isolated and/or have a disability are disproportionately abused. Abuse is often committed by someone the child knows well such as a family member or someone within the school setting. In fact, child abuse can be committed by any member of the community. Regardless of who the perpetrator or victim is the trauma of child abuse can have devastating impacts upon a child’s wellbeing and development that can last for the rest of their life. This is why it is critical that we respond immediately to any form of suspected abuse within our school communities. What are the signs that a child has been abused? The most common physical and behavioural indicators of child abuse are outlined below. This is not an exhaustive list. If you feel uncomfortable about a child’s physical presentation or behaviour, but have not directly witnessed or been told about abuse, or risk of abuse, you should still act. You can seek further advice contact and if you form a reasonable belief that a child has been abused, is being abused, or is at risk of abuse then you MUST follow the Four Critical Actions for Schools: Responding to Incidents, Disclosures or Suspicions of Child Abuse. COMMON PHYSICAL INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSE bruises, welts, cuts/grazes or burns (especially those on back, bottom, legs, arms and inner thighs or in unusual configurations and may resemble an object) internal injuries and bone fractures not consistent with the explanation offered
Child-Safe-Standard-5-Warning-Signs-School-Staff.docx