National Child Protection Week

Know the Signs of Child Abuse

September 1-7 is National Child Protection Week. This nationwide initiative is a time to promote the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect.

Protect Community Youth from Child Abuse

September 1-7 is National Child Protection Week. This nationwide initiative is a time to promote the importance of protecting children from abuse and neglect. At least 1 in 7 US children have been abused this past year alone. Together, we can work to prevent future abuse from happening and bring an end to this terrible crime.

Know the Signs

Physical Abuse

• Unexplained injuries such as bruises, broken bones or burns
• Injuries that don’t match the explanation
• Injuries incompatible with a child’s developmental ability
• Withdrawal from friends or activities
• Changes in behavior or school performance
• Depression and anxiety
• Sleep problems and nightmares
• Frequent absences from school
• Self-harm or attempted suicide

Sexual Abuse

• Sexual behavior or knowledge incompatible with a child’s age
• Pregnancy or STIs (sexually transmitted infections)
• Self-harm or attempted suicide
• Genital pain or injury
• Depression and anxiety
• Withdrawal from friends and activities
• Statements of abuse by the child
• Rebellious or defiant behavior
• Inappropriate sexual behavior with other children

Emotional Abuse

• Delayed or inappropriate emotional development
• Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
• Social withdrawal or loss of interest
• Depression
• Avoidance of certain situations like riding the bus or going to school
• Appears to desperately seek attention
• A decrease in school performance
• Loss of previously developed skills
• Sleep problems and nightmares

Neglect

• Poor growth
• Excessive weight with unaddressed medical complications
• Poor personal cleanliness
• Lack of clothing or supplies to meet physical needs
• Hoarding or stealing food
• Poor record of school attendance
• Lack of appropriate medical, dental, or psychological attention and lack of necessary follow-up care

What You Can Do as a Parent or Caregiver

• Offer the child love and attention
• Don’t respond in anger
• If disciplining, take a break if you feel out of control
• Don’t leave young children unsupervised
• Teach older children personal safety if left alone
• Know all the adults and caregivers in the child’s life
• Emphasize consent and the importance of saying “no”
• Teach your child online safety
• Develop a support network

National Abuse Hotline

If you are the witness to, the victim of, or concerned you may abuse a child, seek help immediately. Child abuse is preventable and often a symptom of a treatable problem.

Call: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

There is Hope. There is Help.

At NewPath, we do more to make a difference—more for each child, each client, and our community. Backed by a full breadth of services, we get to the heart of every case and deliver the best opportunity for change. Every program improves lives, and every person ignites hope, one success story at a time. Our community-based (outpatient) mental health services play an intricate part in our continuum of care. Diagnostic assessment, pharmacological management, community psychiatric and support treatment, behavioral health therapy, and transition-age youth services provide an opportunity to assist youth at any level of need.