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How to Protect Your Children from Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is defined as the act of causing deliberate physical harm to a child. This harm can come in the form of injuries like:

  • Bruising
  • Cuts
  • Broken bones
  • Burns

These kinds of injuries can be caused by a variety of methods and are non-accidental in nature to meet the definition of physical abuse. The methods include hitting, shaking, throwing or burning, among other things. Physical abuse can also involve a parent/carer deliberately inducing, or fabricating symptoms of, illness in a child.

What is the impact of physical abuse?

For infants, the consequences of hitting or shaking can be broken bones and internal injuries. They can also cause brain injury that can lead to long-term disability or death. Older children can also experience the same consequences, as well as more complex issues like behaviour problems, mental health disorders, drug and alcohol problems and suicidal ideation.

Long-term victims of physical abuse can grow up with impaired brain development, resulting in problems with mental and physical abilities in later life.

How to prevent physical abuse of children

Parents and children should all know how to identify signs of abuse to prevent it or stop it early on.

Parenting advice

Physical punishment is something that is likely to develop into more severe abuse. Parents should be educated on the harm of physical punishment and provided with alternatives to react to challenging behaviour.

The NSPCC provides the following Positive Parenting leaflet as a good starting point for encouraging better behaviour.

Support for parents/carers

Some adults who physically abuse children lack the knowledge of how to respond positively to children. Their expectations of a child’s behaviour may be unrealistic, or they may not understand the child’s needs properly.

Early intervention services can help educate parents on how to respond to challenging behaviour. This type of support is proactive in encouraging more positive interactions and preventing abuse before it happens.

Unfortunately, abuse can happen in the midst of difficult times for families such as divorce. If you need assistance with anything relating to divorce, family solicitors in London can advise on family related legal matters.

Encouraging children to speak out

Children must have safe and trusting relationships in their lives so that they feel able to speak out about problems they are having. Part of this is helping them to understand what abuse is to that they can seek help if necessary.

Sometimes only a child knows that they are being abused. If they feel able to speak out, they have the most powerful tool to protect themselves and get protection from others.

Responding to Abuse

When physical abuse occurs, it is important that there is a response once it becomes known. Adults who receive a disclosure or have legitimate concerns should share that with the relevant agencies.