Here you will find some general information on child abuse and what to look for. More information can be found on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

The effects of child abuse on a child can range from death or serious injury to mild emotional stress. Here is a table listing a number of common effects of abuse.

What Can We Do
We can work together to stop abuse before it starts, stop the length of time a child experiences abuse, and make the effects of abuse less harmful to the child.

As a concerned person, stopping abuse before it starts involves being a caring part of your extended family and community. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Smile at the children and parents you see, even if the children are “acting up”.

2. Get to know the names of children and parents you come in contact with regularly.

3. Reach out to parents and children in your community. Ask them about their lives or interests. Let them know you want to help. Offer to help with childcare or home chores.

4. When you see parents struggling with their child’s behavior in a public place, don’t turn away or stare with disdain. Distract the child or offer a snack (with the parent’s permission). Offer to help bag the groceries, carry a diaper bag, etc. Make positive comments about the child. Offer empathy. Here is a list of positive comments you can make to a stressed parent which will help them relax and reduce their stress:

• “I remember times like that when I had young children.”
• “I always thought parenting was the hardest job I have ever done.”
• “My child used to do that too.”
• “My child was pretty challenging but he turned out to be a great adult"
  

5. If you know a family where the parents seem to be struggling, focus on their positive behaviors as a parent (what good parenting do you see) or on the positive behaviors of their children (what are the good things you notice about their children). This response can go a long way in helping them cope better. The last thing a frustrated parent needs is to feel you are criticizing them or their children! Here is a list of ways to reframe children’s behavior in a positive light:

• “I wish I had as much energy as your child has, I wish I could borrow some of it now.”
• “Your child sure has a creative mind.”
• “Your child is quite a talker.”
• “Your child has persistence that will serve him wonderfully later in life.”

As a parent, preventing abuse means taking care of yourself. Getting regular support or time alone. Introverts, who are parenting, often need more time alone than they are likely to get. Extroverts, who are parenting, are often not getting enough adult time with their peers. Make the time for yourself so you do not get depleted of emotional energy and positive attitudes. It means monitoring yourself to ensure you are not going heading towards abuse yourself. If you are feeling frustrated frequently and are uncomfortable with your behavior as a parent, seek help. See Hotline for Contact Numbers.

As a parent, preventing abuse means teaching your child how to talk about all parts of their body and teach them they can so “no” to unwanted touch. It means being aware of the signs of abuse and not ignoring those signs (if present) in your own children. It means developing a trusting relationship within which your child feels comfortable talking to you. It means giving your child permission to talk to other “helpers” when they are experiencing problems. Other helpers include teachers, daycare providers, doctors, extended family members, etc. More information about protecting your child from sexual abuse is available at in the FAQ.

As a concerned person, if you are aware of abuse, please report the abuse to authorities. See Hotline for numbers. If you are involved in a child’s life who has experienced abuse, be supportive and listen. The child needs to be believed and know that others care.

As a parent, if you feel you are being abusive, seek help. See Hotline for numbers. Remember that the sooner you get the help and support you need the quicker things will improve.

If you suspect your child is being abuse by your partner or other family member, please take action. Explore the reasons for suspicion with a professional. Ask the child about his/her experiences. Tend towards believing the child. Children rarely make up abuse accusations, especially when the suspected abuse is sexual.

If your child has experienced abuse, seek help for him/her. There are many, trained professional that can help ease the pain of abuse and diminish the effects with your assistance.

Causes of Abuse

Abuse most often occurs when problems in three areas line up at the same time.

Problems in the family.
Problems with the parents.
Problems with the child.

Problems in the family can include: marital conflicts, lack of support from others, financial problems, housing difficulties, unemployment, etc.

Problems with the parents can include; being abused as a child, depression, illness, problems with sleep, lack of information about how to care for children, drug or alcohol abuse, feeling alone, having no break from parenting, feeling determined to have a “good child”, needing a child to look or act a certain way to make the parent feel good, etc.

Problems with the child can include; being born premature, having a developmental disability (especially if unknown to the parent), illness, ADHD, learning disability (especially if unknown to the parent), problems with forming a bond with a parent, difficult or sensitive temperament, etc.

It is often hard to see all the pieces to this puzzle at first but all three are usually there.
At CCAPT we try to help with all three areas and offer information and assessment addressing all three areas.