Identifying and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

Course overview

In 2019, 4.4 million child abuse reports were filed. It is believed that many more children suffered unreported abuse and neglect. Since the global pandemic, the risk of child abuse has grown. Despite the increased risk, the number of child protective services (CPS) reports have decreased in large part due to the fewer contacts families have had with mandatory reporters (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services [HHS], 2019). In most states, professionals who work with children and families are mandated reporters who are required to report suspicions of abuse or neglect to an appropriate agency or investigator. In order to intervene effectively with children who may be experiencing abuse and neglect, you must be familiar with different types of maltreatment and the warning signs that a child may be in danger. This course will teach you about the various types of child abuse and neglect that are currently the most common, and the physical and behavioral warning signs that may accompany different kinds of child maltreatment. You will learn some general guidelines for mandatory reporting and how you can find out the specific reporting requirements of your particular state.