ANPPCAN is committed to increasing advocacy of the protection of the next generation of this world. The first step is to properly define and inform as to what could be hindering the youth of this generation.

There are many ways to describe Child Abuse and Neglect, as it is a broad and wide-ranging problem that affects children all over the globe. We’ve partnered with like-minded organizations to address the many problems faced and throughout this process we have come up with a very specific and wide-ranging definition to assist us in these battles.

Child Abuse and Neglect is any act that directly or indirectly hinders the ability of a child to learn, grow and thrive in their environment. It is crucial that the children’s best interests are at hand in all stages of development.

This is only the first step. Identifying the problems and finding solutions that work for everybody involved is absolutely crucial. It’s our hope that you will assist us in protecting our most valuable resource: Children.

Definitions

Child abuse is the physical, emotional or sexula exploitation of children by parents, guardians, or others.

Physical abuse is physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, chocking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the person intended to hurt the child or not.

Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent, aretaker of any person such as fondling a child’s genitals, penetrating, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.

Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejections, as well as witholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, child protective services may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified.

Child neglect is the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs. Neglect may be:

Physical ( such as failure to provide necessary food or shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision)

Medical (such as failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment)

Educational (such as failure to educate a child or attend to special educational needs)

Emotional (such as inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to providepsychological care, or permitting the child to used dangerous subtances like alcohol or other drugs)

Hence, child abuse and neglect which is the theme of advocacy is the physical, emotional or sexual exploitation, and the failure to provide the basic needs of children by parents, guardians, or others.