The following are the
standard categories of abuse used throughout Scotland,
with the exception of the
category of emotional neglect, which has been added to the
emotional abuse category within the NESCPC area. There may
be some overlap between categories.
Physical Injury
Actual or attempted physical injury to a child, including
the administration of toxic substances, where there is
knowledge, or reasonable suspicion, that the injury
was inflicted or
knowingly not prevented.
All children where there is physical
injury and where: -
- it is known, admitted or
reasonably suspected that the injury was inflicted
by any person
caring for the
child or
any person likely to be a member of the same
household, or
- anyone caring for the child
knowingly failed to
prevent the injury or acted without due regards
for the safety
of the child, or
- the nature of the injury
is inconsistent with the account of how it occurred
Fabricated or Factitious Illness :-
This is the presentation or creation of factitious
illness, injury or disability and includes the
following
- Illness in a child
which is faked and/or produced by the parent or carer.
- Presentation
of the child for medical assessment
and care, usually persistently and resulting
in multiple medical procedures
and multiple medical opinions.
- Denial of
knowledge by the perpetrator of the cause of the child's
illness.
- Acute symptoms and signs in the child disappear
when the child is separated from the
perpetrator although
consequences
or complications of the disorder may persist.
Non-organic
Failure to Thrive
Failure to meet expected weight and growth norms
or developmental milestones, which does not
have a basis
in a hereditary
or medical condition and is reversible. This
requires a medical
diagnosis. Children are very rarely severely
ill as a result of failure to thrive. However,
in its
extreme
form children
can be at serious risk from the effects of
malnutrition, lack of nurturing and stimulation.
This can lead
to serious
long term effects such as greater susceptibility
to serious childhood illnesses, reduction in
potential stature,
long term developmental and behavioural problems
Emotional
Abuse
Failure to provide for the child's basic emotional
needs such as to have a severe effect on
the behaviour and
development of the child.
This can include
persistent: coldness, hostility, criticism, inappropriate
punishment or rejection
by a caregiver.
Denying the child opportunities for exploration,
play and socialisation
appropriate to their stage of development.
Isolating the child from normal social
experiences, preventing
the child
from forming friendships. The 'wilful destruction
or significant impairment of a child's
confidence'. Encouraging
the child
to engage in anti-social behaviour. Placing
the child in a state of terror or extreme
anxiety by the use
of threats
or practices designed to intimidate them.
Children
who are left on their own for long periods, especially
in infancy, who
do not
experience
adequate nurturing or who
are subject to a large number of care
givers may also come into this category.
Other types of
abuse including Physical Injury, Neglect, Non-organic
Failure
to Thrive and
Sexual Abuse, are
likely to include some degree of emotional
abuse which, because
of it's damage to the child's emotional
growth and development, may have serious
long term
effects.
Sexual Abuse
Any child below the age of consent
will be deemed to have been sexually
abused
when
any person
by design or by neglect
causes that child to be involved
in any activity that
might reasonably be expected to lead
to the sexual arousal or gratification
of that or any other person, including
organised networks. This definition
holds whether or
not there has been
genital contact and whether or not
the child is said to have
initiated the behaviour.
Sexual abuse
may include activities such as incest; rape; sodomy or intercourse
with children;
lewd
and libidinous
or homosexual practices towards
children; indecent assault of children; taking
indecent photographs
of children;
encouraging children to become
prostitutes; or to witness intercourse
or pornographic material.
Physical
Neglect
This occurs when a child's essential needs are not met
and this is likely to cause impairment to physical health
and development. Such needs include food, sleep, nappy
changing, clothing, cleanliness, shelter and warmth. A
lack of appropriate care, including deprivation of access
to health care, may result in persistent or severe exposure,
through negligence, to circumstances, which endanger the
child.
This can also occur when an adult carer persistently pursues
or allows a child to follow a lifestyle inappropriate to
the child's developmental needs or which jeopardise the
child's health. Or when a child is left unattended or inadequately
supervised, though careful judgement is required as to
the appropriateness of any care arrangements.
Legislative
Framework
The legislative framework for intervention in child protection
matters in Scotland is found mainly in the following:
- The Children (Scotland)
Act 1995 which requires local authorities to promote
the welfare of children in need, and to make
enquiries when they receive information that a child
may be in need of compulsory measures of supervision.
It also
requires the Children’s Reporter and the Children’s
Hearing to consider children who are deemed to be
in need of compulsory measures of supervision.
- The Police
(Scotland) Act 1967, which requires the Police to guard,
watch and patrol in order to prevent
crime,
preserve order and protect life and property and to pass information
to the Procurator Fiscal when an offence may have
been committed.
- The Criminal Procedure
(Scotland) Act 1995 – Schedule
1 which lists offences against children
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