Report on Child Abuse and Neglect: Protecting Vulnerable Groups

This report focuses on the critical issue of child abuse and neglect, identifying vulnerable groups, specifically children, and the factors that contribute to their vulnerability, such as poverty, lack of resources, and parental issues. It explores different types of child abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect, and examines their impact on children's health and well-being, including psychological and physical consequences. The report highlights the crucial role of nurses in protecting children, emphasizing the need for clinical knowledge, advocacy, and adherence to safeguarding policies and legal frameworks, such as the Children Act 2004 and the Human Rights Act 1998. The report also discusses the importance of multi-agency interventions and the implementation of compulsory reporting to safeguard children from harm. Ultimately, the report underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies to address and prevent child abuse and neglect, ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.

PROTECTION OF
VULNERABLE
PEOPLE

Table of Contents
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

Vulnerable groups are the group of people who are at risks. There are various
circumstances such as disease, disability, limited resources, environmental conditions etc that
make individuals and groups as vulnerable. From the impact of disasters the population,
individual or organization are unable to cop up or recover. When a disaster strikes the children,
pregnant women,old people are particular vulnerable. In health and social care the word
vulnerable is widely used (Kanbay,Aslan and Işik, 2016). From individual ,community
vulnerability may arise and needs different policy interventions. From the impact of nature or
man -made hazard are individual group has the diminished capacity to anticipate , cope up or
resist. This is known as vulnerability. The young children, pregnant women, migrants, widows ,
older people etc are some of potential vulnerable groups.
In this report a vulnerable group will be selected and the introduction of this group will
be given. Further more the factors that influence the vulnerability of this group will also be
disused in this report. In order to protect and safeguard the vulnerable group the
multidisciplinary and multi-agency interventions will be discussed in this report. This report will
also discuss the safeguards laws and policies in order to protect the vulnerable groups. The
chosen group for this essay is child abuse or child neglect
The vulnerable groups that is been selected in this report is child abuse or child neglect.
By the parent or other care giver a child is being neglected or a physical, sexual or psychological
maltreatments is given to them. In this the parent or family fails to fulfil the basic needs of the
child and this may take place in schools, communities, organization in which the child interacts.
The adequate health care, supervision, clothing, safety needs etc are not given to a child. In order
to develop a child physically, socially and emotionally society believes that there are important
behaviours that need to be provided by care giver to the child. From various problems of
parenting causes of neglect may rise such as mental disorders, substance abuse, poverty,
unemployment etc. The most frequent form of child abuse is child neglect. The most contributing
factors of child abuse or child neglect are poverty and lack of resources. These can prevent the
parent from fulfilling the basic requirements of their children (Pietrantonio and Niec, 2013). In
different circumstance child abuse and neglect takes place. In this the right amount of nutrition,
car and love is not given to the child. Four types of child abuse are there bascially-:
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In the physical abuse from the physical aggression an injury is being caused due to this. The act
is considered as physical abuse even if the injury is not intentionally done. The physical abuse is
considered when the parent and care giver 'make-up' an illness. The unrealistic expectation is
their about a child when the adults abuse child physically. They are not able to understand the
requirements of children. The pushing, beating , pinching,burning with cigarettes are some of
the injuries that can be caused due to physical abuse. The difficulty is been faced by physical
abused child to be around adults and their peers.
In Sexual abuse of a child between an child or an adult it is an sexual act. The
intercourse, rape, oral sex and sodomy are been included in it. The fear of specific person or
family embers, seductiveness are some signs of sexual child abuse (Sperry and Widom, 2013).
A Emotional abuse most common form of child abuse. The domestic violence is being witnessed
by the children during this abuse. The acts of omission are being included in this. In this love ,
car is not shown to child either he/she is insulted, rejected or bounding restrictions on a child
learning etc. On the self-esteem and social competence there is a negative impact due to this. Not
only at home emotional abuse may take place. By the adults, teachers children can be abused
emotionally.
In neglect the children from the parents the child suffer neglect. This kind of abuse is been faced
by children who remain unclean, wear dirty clothes and eat unhygienic food.
By a number of factors child abuse can be caused.
In the parental factors the children are been abused physically,sexually, or emotionally by the
abusive paints. The low- esteem ,low intelligence, drug or alcohol use are some of the traits that
is been identified in some abusive parents. The increasing problem is been there due to substance
abuse. The abusive behaviour can be their toward children due to lack of parenting skills and not
appropriate behaviour.
On the age of child the vulnerability to child abuse mainly depends on. Among the young infants
the fatal case of physical abuse are been found. For non-fatal physical abuse the young children
are also at a high risk. For an instance for the age-group of 4-6 years the rates of non-fatal
physical abuse in UK are high. After the onset of puberty the sexual abuse rates tends to increase
(Widom, Czaja and Dutton, 2014).
In comparison with boys girls race at high-risk for sexual abuse, education and nutritional
neglect. At a world level there are about 120- million children in the age of 6 to 12 years who
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are not going to school. The girls in various countries are not allowed to go to school and they
are been kept at home in order to look after their younger siblings or to make food for the family.
In special characteristics for the physical abuse and neglect the premature infants,twins and
handicapped children are at a high risk.
The parenting can be compromised due to aspect of family environment that can lead to child
maltreatment.The parents who abuse their child physically are more likely to be single,
unemployed, poor .They are also not well-educated. The mothers who are single, young, poor are
more violent towards their children in both developing and industrialised countries. In the UK, it
had been discovered that the needs of family are not been able to fulfilled due to low education
and lack of income due to which there is a potential of physical violate is thee towards children
(Fergusson, McLeod and Horwood, 2013).
The child or neglect is also being their due to stress and social isolation. From the loss of
income, health issues, job changes etc the stress can be there. In comparison with two-parent
families children living with small and single parent families are at higher risks. The level of
conflict in the home can also be heighten due to which the abuse can be faced by the children.
The association between poverty and child maltreatment is strong. In the communities the
rates of abuse are higher where there is a high-level of unemployment and poverty. The children
is been affected by the chronic poverty .
Due to child abuse or neglect there can various impact that can be there on the health and
well-being child. The cancer, chronic lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease etc are related to
abuse during childhood (Douglas and Mohn, 2014). The psychological damage can also be faced
by children. The health consequence that are related to children physically such as disability,
fractures, brain injuries etc can be faced by them due to factors of child abuse. They can also face
long-term health consequence such as liver disease, cancer etc. Due to sexual abuse that is been
done to children they can suffer health consequence such as sexual dysfunction and unwanted
pregnancy etc. All these will have an impact on the well-being of the child.
The core competencies need to be demonstrated by the nurses in order to protect the child
abuse or child neglect. In order to understand the child abuse or child maltreatment the nurse
need to make use of clinical knowledge and the signs of child abuse or neglect need to be
identified by them. For the child or young children they need to act as an effective advocate and
should listen to their point of view or their perception. On the health and well-bring of child or
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young person they need to identify the impact of physical and mental health of parents and care
giver (Damashek,Nelson and Bonner, 2013). The nurses need to have clear idea about their roles
and responsibilities regarding giving care to children and they also need to be clear about roles,
responsibilities and professional boundaries of their colleagues. If a safeguarding protection
concern is been recognized they must be able to refer as a appropriate social care. In order to
make an effective referral they need to use tools such as SAFER communication guidelines. In
order to inform the relevant staff and agencies they need to document safeguard child
protection concerns. The appropriate record-keeping need to be maintained by them and the
facts and opinion also need to be differentiated by them. With other members of the team they
need to share appropriate and relevant information (Safeguarding children and young people –
every nurse’s responsibility, 2017). With key statutory and non-statutory guidance they need to
act in accordance. In the favour of rights such UN convention on the child right and the human
right act in 1998 they need to act. In the UK the nursing and midwifery council(NMC) is the
regulator for nursing and midwifery. The public health and well-being is being safeguard by
them. In order to deal with child abuse and strengthen the protection system for child the
government strategy is been followed by the nurse of NMC. Within the UK there is an
implementation of compulsory reporting to the cat on child neglect or child abuse.
By using the work ' safeguarding' the security and protection to children is been given
and welfare of children is also been protected. From any harm the children is been protected.
From the maltreatment the children is been protected. The health and development of children
from impairment is been prevented(Bright and Hardt, 2014.). Through safeguard it is been make
sure that the provision of secure and effective care is been give to children. And in order to give
a child the best outcome all essential actions need to be taken. To the charities in UK and other
countries the necessity to safeguard children are been applied. To deal with issues of concern or
abuse these safeguards need to involved child protection policy and procedures.
According to the child protection policy a commitment to children is been given in order to
safeguard them from any harm. Through this policy no less favourable treatment can be given to
a child and all the needs of children will be met. From the abuse the children have the right to
protection.
Through the children act (2004) the help and protection to children from any abuse or harm is
been given. With issues related to children this act provides legal basis. They allow children to
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be healthy, assist them to enjoy their life are some principle of this act. For the future of children
they help to achieve economic stability.
By using t he Human Rights Act (1998) the equal treatment to all need to be given. All people
need to be treated with fairness, dignity, respect.
In United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)(UNCRC) the rights related to
civil, political, economic, social , health right shave been set for children. Regardless of their
race, religion or capabilities these rights are been given to children (UN CONVENTION ON
THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (UNCRC), 2017.). The security from violence, abuse or
neglect, life ,survival etc are included in this right.
Thus summing up the above report it can be child abuse or child neglect is faced when
the basic needs of children are not fulfilled. The factors such as poverty, lack of resources are
the main causes of child abuse . The roles of nurses plays an essential role in order to protect
children from any harm. The various laws such as children act 2004 and UNCRC can protect the
children from any abuse or neglect that is been done to them.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bright, M.A. and Hardt, N., 2014. Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: using adverse
childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence. Child abuse & neglect.
76. pp.287-296.
Damashek, A., Nelson, M.M. and Bonner, B.L., 2013. Fatal child maltreatment: Characteristics
of deaths from physical abuse versus neglect. Child abuse & neglect. 37(10). pp.735-744.
Douglas, E.M. and Mohn, B.L., 2014. Fatal and non-fatal child maltreatment in the US: An
analysis of child, caregiver, and service utilization with the National Child Abuse and
Neglect Data Set. Child Abuse & Neglect. 38(1). pp.42-51.
Fergusson, D.M., McLeod, G.F. and Horwood, L.J., 2013. ChilSafeguarding children and young
people – every nurse’s responsibility. 2017dhood sexual abuse and adult developmental
outcomes: Findings from a 30-year longitudinal study in New Zealand. Child abuse &
neglect. 37(9). pp.664-674.
Kanbay, Y., Aslan, Ö. and Işik, E., 2016. Child Abuse and NeglSafeguarding children and young
people – every nurse’s responsibility. 2017ect. International Journal of Health Sciences
and Research (IJHSR). 6(8). pp.352-357.
Pietrantonio, A.M. and Niec, A., 2013. Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect: Crafting
a positive process for health professionals and caregivers. Child abuse & neglect. 37(2).
pp.102-109.
Sperry, D.M. and Widom, C.S., 2013. Child abuse and neglect, social support, and
psychopathology in adulthood: A prospective investigation. Child abuse & neglect.
37(6). pp.415-425.
Widom, C.S., Czaja, S. and Dutton, M.A., 2014. Child abuse and neglect and intimate partner
violence victimization and perpetration: A prospective investigation. Child abuse &
neglect. 38(4). pp.650-663.
Online
Safeguarding children and young people – every nurse’s responsibility. 2017. [PDF]
<https://matrix.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/78583/004542.pdf/>
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UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (UNCRC). 2017. [Online]
<https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/what-we-do/childrens-rights/united-nations-
convention-of-the-rights-of-the-child/>
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