Emotional abuse: For consistency across jurisdictions we used this term to categorise psychological abuse, which is the term used in New South Wales. Normally refers to acts by caregivers causing the child to suffer significant emotional deprivation or trauma involving the necessary level of harm (see eg the definitions in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Child protection Australia annual report). Domestic violence: Exposure of a child to domestic violence involving the necessary level of harm. The major category named in the NSW data system, which would include caregivers Neglect: ‘neglect’ failing to provide minimum conditions necessary for the child’s health and physical and emotional development, involving the necessary level of harm. In NSW this clearly included medical neglect, educational neglect, supervisory neglect, and failure to provide necessaries. We excluded other categories recorded in the data which could possibly be included in this category, such as drug/alcohol use by carer. Physical abuse: The major category named abuse’ in the NSW data system. Normally refers to ‘physical caregivers inflicting intentional physical harm on the child, beyond lawful corporal punishment, involving the necessary level of harm. Sexual abuse: The major category named abuse’ in the NSW data system. Normally refers to the ‘sexual involvement of a child who cannot give true consent in sexual activity with an adult or a more powerful person, for the other person's sexual gratification or gain. Further details on the methodology and research project are in Appendix 1. Key data findings and interpretations: New South Wales Key legislative changes and hypotheses 1 January 2003: Large range of reporter groups; large penalty; duty applied to concerns for safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child due to a suspicion that a child was risk of harm’, a broad concept which was ‘at perhaps not defined with a clear qualification of significant harm; applied to: physical or psychological needs’ not being met; ‘basic medical care not being provided; ‘necessary’ or sexual abuse’; ‘physical exposure to domestic violence with risk of serious physical or psychological harm; serious psychological harm
Emotional abuse: For consistency across jurisdictions we used this term to categorise psychological abuse, which is the term used in New South Wales. Normally refers to acts by caregivers causing the child to suffer significant emotional deprivation or trauma involving the necessary level of harm (see eg the definitions in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Child protection Australia annual report). Domestic violence: Exposure of a child to domestic violence involving the necessary level of harm. Neglect: The major category named ‘neglect’ in the NSW data system, which would include caregivers failing to provide minimum conditions necessary for the child’s health and physical and emotional development, involving the necessary level of harm. In NSW this clearly included medical neglect, educational neglect, supervisory neglect, and failure to provide necessaries. We excluded other categories recorded in the data which could possibly be included in this category, such as drug/alcohol use by carer. Physical abuse: The major category named ‘physical abuse’ in the NSW data system. Normally refers to caregivers inflicting intentional physical harm on the child, beyond lawful corporal punishment, involving the necessary level of harm. Sexual abuse: The major category named ‘sexual abuse’ in the NSW data system. Normally refers to the involvement of a child who cannot give true consent in sexual activity with an adult or a more powerful person, for the other person's sexual gratification or gain. Further details on the methodology and research project are in Appendix 1. Key data findings and interpretations: New South Wales Key legislative changes and hypotheses 1 January 2003: Large range of reporter groups; large penalty; duty applied to concerns for safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child due to a suspicion that a child was ‘at risk of harm’, a broad concept which was perhaps not defined with a clear qualification of significant harm; applied to: ‘basic physical or psychological needs’ not being met; ‘necessary’ medical care not being provided; ‘physical or sexual abuse’; exposure to domestic violence with risk of serious physical or psychological harm; serious psychological harm
child-abuse-and-neglect-v3-nsw.docx