Description: Intentionally harming a child, use of excessive force, reckless endangerment.
Indicators
Unexplained bruises, welts and scars
Injuries in various stages of healing
Bite marks
Unexplained burns
Fractures
Injuries not fitting explanation
Internal damage or head injury
SEXUAL ABUSE
Description: Engaging a child in any activity for an adult's own sexual gratification.
Indicators
Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge
Sexual acting out
Child disclosure of abuse
Exessive masturbation
Physical injury to genital area
Pregnancy or STD at a young age
Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
Depression, distress, or trauma
Extreme fear
EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Description: They systematic dininishment of a child. It is designed to reduce a child's self-concept to the point where the child feels unworthy of respect, unworthy of friendship, and unworthy of love and protection, the natural birthrights of all children.
Conduct disorders (withdrawal or antisocial behavior)
Behavior extremes
Overly adaptive behavior
Lags in emotional or intellectual development
Low self-esteem
Depression, suicide attempts
NEGLECT
Description: Failure of a person responsible for the child's welfare to provide necessary food, care, clothing, shelter or medical attention. Can also be failure to act when such failure interferes with a child's health and safety.
Sorry, I couldn't get the page to load so I had to type it all out so any typos are my own.
There's of course much more that a CPS worker will be looking for. I mean if you call them and tell them that your neighbor's 6 year old is sucking his thumb they are not going to care.
The agency also has to take Social Standards into consideration. And by that I mean the -family's- social standards, not the social worker's own standards.
They have to ask: is the parent's behavior within or outside commonly accepted child-rearing practices in their society.
We have a case in our agency right now where a father with no electricity is getting custody of his kids from their Aunt and Uncle. CPS has no choice but to give him back his kids because where he lives (in Mexico) it's not common for everyone to have electricity.
