Stop Child Abuse

Take Action

Recognise the signs

The effects of child abuse and neglect are not always easy to identify and people who abuse can go to great lengths to hide it. Many of the common signs of child abuse can be confused with normal, everyday happenings. Adults need to be aware that a change in a child’s behaviour may be caused by child abuse.

Recognising the signs in children

The following are just some of the general indicators of child abuse and neglect that you may observe in children or young people. The presence of one or more of these factors does not by itself prove that abuse is happening. However, it can alert you to the possibility of abuse. The possibility of abuse may be higher if more indicators are present.

  • A child or young person tells you that he or she is being abused or hurt
  • You notice sudden or unexplained changes in mood or behaviour of a child or young person
  • You notice frequent or unexplained bruises or injuries on a child or young person
  • You see a child or young person with low self-esteem
  • You see a child or young person with poor hygiene
  • You notice that a child or young person becomes withdrawn or unresponsive
  • You notice a child or young person with a lot of exaggerated fears
  • You notice that a child or young person seems to lack trust in familiar adults
  • You notice that a child or young person has serious difficulties relating to peers and/or adults
  • You see a child or young person who is always angry or aggressive
  • You find out that a child or young person has difficulty sleeping and experiences nightmares
  • You notice a child or young person experience a change in eating patterns

Recognise the signs in parents

The following are just some of the general indicators of child abuse and neglect that you may observe in the behaviour of parents or carers. The presence of one or more of these factors does not by itself prove that abuse is happening. However, it can alert you to the possibility of abuse. The possibility of abuse may be higher if more indicators are present.

  • You notice that a parent seems unconcerned about the child’s welfare at home or school
  • You notice that there is domestic violence between adults in a household
  • You notice that a parent feels constantly stressed and tells you they have hurt his/her child
  • You see that a parent seems secretive or tries to isolate the child from other children
  • You notice that a parent constantly talks about the child in negative ways
  • You notice that a parent frequently blames, belittles or insults the child
  • You notice that a parent avoids talking about the child’s injuries or gives conflicting explanations for them
  • You notice that a parent is suffering from depression or other serious mental illness that may be impacting on their ability to care for their children
  • You notice that a parent is drinking alcohol excessively or abusing prescription medication and is not able to take care of his/her children properly
  • You see or hear that a parent is using illegal drugs and is not able to take care of his/her children properly

Recognise the signs in yourself

As parents, we can relate to sometimes feeling tested to the limits of our parenting ability. Sometimes we can feel out of control. In other situations, we can have personal problems that stop us from caring for our children.

As parents, your responsibility is to recognise when you need help before the harm happens.

If you feel you may hurt, or have hurt your child, it is important that you seek immediate assistance.

STOP what you are doing.

THINK about how you and your child are affected by what is happening.

DO something to change things.

GET SUPPORT to make the changes.

Seeking support and assistance can take courage. Taking this step, however, is critical for you and your child.

Seeking support and assistance reflects:

  • your love for your child
  • your ability to appreciate there is a problem
  • your desire for things to be different for your family
  • your commitment to working towards changing things for the better.

Speak to someone you trust and feel can help you.

Click here to find a list of support services that may be able to assist you and your family. Keep trying until you find a service that can help you.

Things can change for the better for you and your family. It is up to you to take the next step.