How To Prevent Child Abuse

How to Help a Child You Think is Being Abused If You're a Teacher

Rob Sundries is an excellent swimmer who is going out for a leisurely jog near the ocean. During his jogging he passes by a pier and hears a teenage girl who has fallen into the water screaming for help. The girl obviously can't swim. Rob recognizes there's no danger to himself if he jumps in to save her. What do you think he should do?

If you're like most people I talk to, you'd probably think Rob should save the girl. After all, saving a life from imminent danger is simply the right thing to do. But what about when the cries for help aren't so obvious? What if you're a teacher in a classroom who thinks one of your kids is being abused? How do you know for sure? And what do you do?

Let's start with the basic definition of child abuse.

The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.²

What many people don't realize is that teachers in all 50 states in the U.S. are legally obligated to report suspected child abuse to the local authorities or protective services. For instance, if you notice bruises on little Shelly's face and the explanation she gives leads you to believe they may be abused, you should begin seeking help for that child immediately. That goes even if Shelly denies that abuse is happening. Oftentimes, kids may believe the abuse is their fault or they are protecting their parents.

The bottom line is if you suspect or a student comes to you reporting abuse, you have a legal obligation to report it if you're a teacher. You should also encourage your school principal to develop standardized procedures for dealing with suspicions of child abuse. Encourage your school to make knowledge of your state's reporting requirements known to other teachers in your school on a regular basis.

 

What are some subtle signs that a child is being abused that a teacher can look out for?

• Stay attuned to physical clues that kids give off; for example, clothing: a girl who wears layers and layers of clothing, no matter the temperature or weather; a young girl who dresses "older" or provocatively.
• Watch their body language: a child who shrinks from a shoulder pat or sideways hug from a teacher, or who carries her body in a way that hides her physical development.
• Pay attention to mood swings-- especially a kid who, after a holiday break or even a weekend, comes back to school in a particularly foul or weepy mood. Teacher and abuse survivor Beth Fehlbaum says "I behaved these ways myself as a child and, in many ways, as an adult, pre-recovery."
• Besides physical injury, some other signs of child abuse include: extreme caution around adults; tardiness and absences from school; inability to concentrate; poor academic performance; aggressive behavior; hanging out on school grounds before and after class; and trouble getting along with schoolmates.

 

How can teachers help a student they suspect is being abused who is doing fine academically and generally not causing trouble?

• Try to nurture a relationship with students so that they feel safe and supported.
• "Recognize that roughly a quarter of the kids in any classroom either have experienced abuse of some kind or will experience it at some point." -- Beth Fehlbaum, teacher and author of Courage in Patience
• Remember that some kids are dealing with a lot more than homework when they get home, and be sensitive to that reality when piling academic expectations on them. Yes, grades and promotion are important-- but physiological needs precede all else. It's impossible to focus on math homework if you've slept in a closet the night before to avoid the molester across the hall.
• Practice compassion. Try not to get angry at a child for misbehaving. Instead, try to figure out the reason behind the misbehavior and see if you can help the child find relief from what it is that's making them so angry or afraid. Kids who are being abused give off a certain " vibe" that you may be able to pick up on.
• Make a mental note of behaviors you're seeing that tell you a child may be being abused, and maybe mention it to the child's other teachers to see if they have observed the same thing you're seeing.
• Talk to the counselor to let them know what you're seeing, so they can call the child in to see if everything's okay at home. In other words, tread very softly while working at developing a relationship of trust with the student. Eventually, they may open up to you about their troubles.

Sometimes, preventing child abuse comes down to realizing that the cries for help aren't so obvious. There may not be a teenage girl screaming for you to rescue them. But the signs of child abuse in your students are there. Hopefully, this article helped you understand how to spot them and how to prevent child abuse if you're a teacher.

A special thank you to Beth Fehlbaum (teacher and author of Courage in Patience) whose interview provided some of the source material for this article. You can check out the interview by clicking here or the review we did of this courageous book here.

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