Child Abuse

Running head: CHILD MALTREATMENT 1
Child Abuse
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CHILD MALTREATMENT 2
Child abuse is defined as emotional and physical mistreatment, negligent treatment,
sexual misuse or any form of child’s commercial exploitation which results to the possible effect
to the child’s healthy development, dignity or survival in terms of affiliation in trust,
accountability or power.
Causes
Inadequate support resources and parental skills may bring about difficulties of caring for
children’s wellbeing and may lead to child abuse. Some of the factors that contribute to child
abuse are discussed below; (Ajilian et al, 2015).
Unrealistic expectations: these expectations are the low understanding of the developmental
stages and behavior that occurs to a child while growing.
Lack of support and isolation: this can cause abuse to the child where there are no friends, family
members, partners or other community support that assist in the demands of parenting.
Alcohol, gambling problems, and drugs: exposing children to substance misuse that may lead to
addiction is an effect of a parent’s inability to meet the needs of their children.
Mental health problems/ illness or intellectual disability: a child with mental issues may be
exposed to child abuse for he/she is unable to express him/herself properly. Parents with
intellectual disability are unable to provide adequate care to their children, and this may lead to
child abuse (Ajilian et al, 2015).
Past childhood experiences: when parents had ever experienced a kind of abuse during their
childhood in their families, it may lead them to develop insecure parenting styles and skills
(Bartlett, Kotake, Fauth & Easterbrooks, 2017).

CHILD MALTREATMENT 3
Stress: medical problems in life, financial pressures, job worries while caring for children or a
family are among the aspects that may lead to the misuse of children for instance forced labor.
Lack of parenting skills and having low self-confidence: some parents have insufficient parental
skills, and thus they believe that use excessive force to discipline their children is acceptable.
Other parents do doubt their ability to meet all their children essential needs and desires, and this
can result in child abuse (Ajilian et al, 2015).
Prevention
Some of the child abuse prevention strategies and guidelines are discussed below. The
prevention guidelines and strategies have been developed to keep the children from becoming a
statistic as a result of child neglect and abuse (Fortson et al, 2016).
Guidelines
A parent or a child's caregiver should be alert on the changes that occur in a child during
the developmental stages, behavior, and attitude. One should avoid disciplining his/her child
while they are angry. It is advisable for parents to participate in their children’s activities and
knows who their friends are. It is recommendable to the parents to always listen to the children
and understand what they try to explain concerning their experiences. Teach the children the
correct name of their private parts of the body and be alert in case a child reveals a kind of
premature sexual understanding (Keddell, 2015).
Strategies
Strengthening of the economic support to the family: this approach can be applied to the
family friends work policies and strengthening the financial security in the household.