Child Protection Unit
Indicators of Abuse or Neglect
Type of Abuse Physical Behavioral
or Neglect Indicators Indicators
All Types of Abuse • Increase in stomachaches • Has sudden change in behavior
or Neglect • Changes in daily life patterns: • Shows extreme behaviors:
•• Eating •• Strong anxiety (clinging, nightmares)
•• Sleeping •• Depression (frequent crying, low self-
•• Bedwetting esteem, suicidal thoughts or actions)
•• Soiling or wetting underwear •• Withdrawal (can seem distant or
• Injuries to self distracted)
•• Extreme anger (tantrums, aggression)
• Arrives at school early or stays late as if
afraid to be at home
• Has learning problems or difficulty
concentrating not explained by physical or
psychological causes
Sexual Abuse • Has frequent urinary or yeast infections • Plays in sexual ways that are not
Engaging a child in • Wears a lot of clothes, often in layers appropriate
sexual acts, such as • Has put on or lost a very large amount of • Knows more about sex and sexual
fondling, rape, and weight language than a typical child of his or
exposing a child her age
to other sexual • Feels threatened by physical closeness
activities. • Writes, draws, or dreams of sexual things
• Talks about a new, older friend
• Runs away (especially for teens)
• Reports sexual abuse
Physical Abuse • Has bruises, cuts, burns, and injuries • Complains of being sore and looks
Using intentional unlikely to have happened when playing uncomfortable when moving
physical force, such • Has injuries that repeatedly occur during • Explains how injuries happened in ways
as hitting, kicking, weekends or other absences that seem unlikely, vague, or conflicting
shaking, burning, or • Has several bruises or other injuries in • Seems concerned about having contact
other show of force different stages of healing with adults
against a child. • Wears clothes that cover the body, even • Is afraid of his or her parent(s) and cries
when it is hot when it is time to go home
• Reports injury by a parent or caregiver
Second Step Child Protection Unit SecondStep.org ©2014
Child Protection Unit
Type of Abuse Physical Behavioral
or Neglect Indicators Indicators
Emotional Abuse • Has difficulty speaking clearly • Has a behavior he or she always does and
Harming a child’s • Has delayed physical development has trouble stopping (such as sucking,
self-worth or • Has ulcers, asthma, or severe allergies rocking, biting)
emotional well- • Abuses alcohol or other drugs (especially • Stays away from or does not play with
being. Examples for teens) others
are name-calling, • Has developmental delays
shaming, rejecting, • Behaves in delinquent ways (especially
withholding love, for teens)
and threatening.
• Reports not caring about the parent(s)
Neglect • Has unmet medical needs • Regularly is tired, has no energy, or falls
Failing to meet a • Is often left alone asleep in class
child’s basic needs. • Is not getting good enough nutrition: • Steals food or begs food from classmates
Such as housing, •• Is always hungry • Frequently is absent or late to school
food, clothing, • Seems extremely lonely
•• Has a swollen abdomen
education, and
•• Is too thin • Frequently seeks affection
access to medical
care. • Is often wearing the wrong kind of clothes • Has dropped out of school (especially
or clothes that are dirty for teens)
• Has strong body odor • Reports no one is home to provide care
This document was adapted with permission from a chart by Dr. Tony Rizzuto, senior child abuse prevention consultant and president of
Abuse Prevention Solutions, LLC.
Note: The presence of a sin
gle indicator does not prove
abuse or neglect is happening
to a child. But when you
see these indicators repeatedly
or in combination, you
should pay close attention to the
child, record what you
notice, talk to other staff memb
ers, and consider the
possibility of abuse or neglect.
Second Step Child Protection Unit SecondStep.org ©2014
