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If
you suspect a child is being emotionally abused or neglected...
If
you find these possible signs of emotional abuse...
- Babies who spend long periods of time in their crib
without a parent checking on them;
- Babies who do not respond or show happiness when you
pay attention to them;
- Toddlers or preschoolers who look sad or withdrawn,
or who frequently fight with other children;
- Children who seem to have no friends;
- Parents who seem depressed or unhappy, or who never
show joy in being a parent;
- Familes that seem to have few visitors or close friends.
...this is what you can do:
- Be a friend to the child. Offer extra warmth and
attention. Deep down, every child wants to be loved.
- Be a friend to the parent. Find ways to help: offer
to babysit, or help out in the home, for example.
- Let other people know. A school counselor, for example,
may be able to spend time with the child and find
ways to talk to the parent in a way that will not
be ignored.
If you have concerns that serious emotional or physical
neglect is occurring, you should call the police or
child protective services in your community [see our
hotlines page].
You may not want to make these calls. Some people think
that the child will automatically be taken from the
home. This does not happen. Child protection workers
only remove a child if there is a serious threat to
the child's health or well-being.
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