CHILD EMOTIONAL ABUSE

14. Concerning Behaviour Involving Parents or Caregiver
Notes:

 

Concerning behaviour involving Parent or Caregiver including:

  • child displaying fear around Parent or Caregiver
  • child being humiliated by Parent’s or Caregiver’s comments or expressions
  • child checking out their Parent’s or Caregiver’s ‘mood’ at pick up time
  • child being overly keen to please them and keep them in a good mood
  • Parent or Caregiver may state a belief, even expressed as a joke, that the child is bad, or naughty or evil
  • Parent openly expresses disappointment with child’s achievements or is unrealistic with expectations or demands
  • Parent engaged in criminal activity to which the child is exposed
  • Parent has difficulty with relationships – many different sexual partners, partners that move in and out, relationships that involve violence or abuse
Information:

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Some of the best indicators for abuse are apparent when you see the child and Parent or Caregiver together – or when you engage a Parent or Caregiver in conversation that becomes open and relaxed.

You might hear Parents openly express disappointment with their child or their achievements eg a parent might say, “Look how hopeless her drawing is compared to everyone else’s” or they may pick fault with a child’s achievements because their expectations are too high. They may humiliate them with by comments eg “what’s this stupid thing you’ve made – it doesn’t look anything like a giraffe”.

This can all sometimes be disguised as light hearted banter – but again if there appears to be a focus on these kinds of comments, or it recurs often, or you can clearly see the adverse effect on the child, then you may become concerned and consider discussing this with your Senior Supervisor/Team Leader/Coordinator.

A Parent’s involvement in criminal activity can cause emotional harm to a child, particularly if these activities involve violence or harming others.

When a Parent has many different sexual partners, or partners who move in for short periods and then move out, or who are violent or abusive to them or their children – this can also cause serious emotional harm to a child.