Virginia 4H Camping Volunteer Training Modules

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Virginia 4-H CampingVolunteer Training Modules
MODULE 9 CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Developed by Barry A. Garst, Ph.D., Assistant
Professor and Extension Specialist 4-H Youth
Development, March 2006
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How to Use this Information

• If you are a 4-H adult volunteer leader
• 1. Review the 4-H camp-related information
  contained in this presentation.
• 2. Consider the Discussion Questions listed on
  the last page.
• 3. Contact your local 4-H Extension Agent (or
  other person responsible for
• 4-H camping in your county/city) to review
  this information.
• If you are a VCE faculty or staff member
  responsible for 4-H camping in your unit
• 1. Review the 4-H camp-related information
  contained in this presentation.
• 2. Use this presentation to support your 4-H camp
  teen/adult volunteer
• leader training.
• 3. Use the Discussion Questions listed on the
  last page as a resource in
• reviewing this information with your 4-H
  camp volunteers.

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Overview

• The 4-H Camp Environment
• Neglect and Abuse
• Types of Neglect and Abuse
• Indicators of Child Maltreatment
• What do you do when a child tells you that
  he/she has been abused?

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• Why do you think campers and teens sometimes
  disclose abuse at 4-H camp?

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The 4-H Camp Environment

• It is not uncommon for youth to disclose that
  they have been neglected and/or abused. Youth
  often perceive the 4-H camp environment as a safe
  place where they feel cared for and supported.
  This caring environment makes it easier for a
  camper or teen to disclose neglect or abuse.

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The 4-H Camp Environment

• Because 4-H camp volunteers (teens and adults)
  work so closely with 4-H youth campers, they may
  be the first to learn of such abuse or neglect.
• Therefore, it is important that all 4-H camp
  volunteers are familiar with the types,
  indicators, and reporting process for neglect and
  child abuse.

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Defining Child Maltreatment

• Child maltreatment includes child abuse and
  neglect.
• Child maltreatment is defined as, any recent act
  or failure to act on the part of a parent or
  caretaker which results in death, serious
  physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or
  exploitation, or an act or failure to act which
  presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

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Neglect

• Characterized by a failure to provide for a
  childs basic needs. Neglect can be physical,
  educational, or emotional.
• Sometimes cultural values, standards of care in a
  particular community, and the poverty level in a
  community can contribute to neglect.
• See handout, What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
  for more information.

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Types of Neglect

• Physical neglect- failure to provide food and
  shelter lack of appropriate supervision
• Medical neglect- failure to provide medical care
  or mental health treatment
• Educational neglect- failure to educate a child
  or attend to special education needs
• Emotional neglect- inattention to a childs
  needs failure to provide psychological care,
  permitting a child to use alcohol/drugs

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Types of Abuse

• Physical abuse
• Characterized by the infliction of physical
  injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking,
  biting, burning, shaking, or otherwise harming a
  child.
• The parent or caretaker may not have intended to
  hurt the child rather, the injury may have
  resulted from over-discipline or physical
  punishment.

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Types of Abuse

• Sexual abuse
• Includes fondling of child genitals,
  intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism,
  and commercial exploitation through prostitution
  or the production of pornographic materials.

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Types of Abuse

• Emotional abuse
• Includes acts or omissions by the parents or
  other caregivers that have caused, or could
  cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional,
  or mental disorders. (See handout, What is Child
  Maltreatment? for more information)

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Indicators of Child Maltreatment

• There are many signs and symptoms that suggest
  the presence of abuse - but no single sign
  necessarily indicates abuse.
• Some abused children present none of the
  following signs, while others exhibit a pattern
  or combination of symptoms and behaviors.

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Indicators of Child Maltreatment Virginia
Department of Social Services

• NEGLECT- Begging or stealing food, extended stays
  away from home, fatigue or frequently tardy from
  school.
• PHYSICAL ABUSE- Questionable bruises, welts,
  burns, fractures, lacerations or abrasions.
• SEXUAL ABUSE- Difficulty in walking torn,
  stained or bloody clothing bleeding or bruises
  in external genitalia, vaginal or anal area.
• EMOTIONAL ABUSE- Habits disorders, destructive,
  sleep disorders, behavior extremes or
  self-destructive.

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What do volunteers do when a 4-H camper
discloses maltreatment?

• Suspicion is defined as reasonable cause to
  believe that an individual has been abused or
  neglected. Your suspicion may be triggered
  because a child discloses the abuse to you.
• A child who tells you that he/she has been abused
  is probably feeling scared, guilty, ashamed,
  angry and/or powerless. They are turning to you
  for help.

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What do volunteers do when a 4-H camper
discloses maltreatment?

• Though you may feel a sense of outrage, disgust,
  sadness, anger or disbelief, it is important to
  remain calm and in control of your feelings.
• You must handle this disclosure with sensitivity.
  
• Be understanding and reassure the child that
  something will be done to keep him/her safe.

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What do volunteers do when a 4-H camper
discloses maltreatment?

• Do not panic, do not criticize anyone involved,
  and remain objective.
• Respect the privacy of all those involved.

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What do volunteers do when a 4-H camper
discloses maltreatment?

• Report the suspicion of child abuse to your 4-H
  Extension Agent, the H Center Program Director,
  or 4-H Center Director.
• You may need to separate the individuals who are
  involved (if both are 4-H camp participants).

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What will happen next?

• For a county/city-based camp, the unit Extension
  faculty/staff in charge of the 4-H camp will take
  the following actions
• Conduct discussions with those involved, those
  making the allegations or accusations, and those
  against whom the allegations or accusations are
  made (if appropriate), and document in writing
  their account of the alleged incident. They will
  always have a witness present.
• If the allegation develops into a suspicion, then
  the Extension faculty/staff person will call
  Child Protective Services or the Department of
  Social Services

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What will happen next?

• For Junior 4-H camp conducted at a 4-H Center,
  the unit Extension faculty/staff in charge of the
  4-H camp and the 4-H Center Program Director will
  meet to make each other aware of the suspicion of
  child abuse and to determine who will call Child
  Protective Services or the Department of Social
  Services. Then the following actions will be
  taken
• Interview individuals involved, those making the
  allegations or accusations, and those against
  whom the allegations or accusations are made (if
  appropriate), and document in writing their
  account of the alleged incident. They will always
  have a witness present.
• If the allegation develops into a suspicion, then
  the identified person will call Child Protective
  Services or the Department of Social Services.

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It is not your responsibility to determine
whether or not a child is telling the
truth!!!

• Determining whether or not a 4-H camp participant
  is telling the truth is not the responsibility of
  paid and volunteer staff.
• Any suspicion must be reported!

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State Law on Reporting

• According to Virginia law (Section
  63.1-248.et.seq.), any representative in a
  professional capacity involving the education or
  care of children who has reason to suspect that a
  minor is an abused or neglected child, shall
  report the matter immediately to the local Social
  Services Department of the county or city wherein
  the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect
  is believed to have occurred

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Information to Have When Calling Child
Protective Services

• Call with whatever information you have, no
  matter how basic. If possible, try to have the
  following information
• Names (including family members),
• Ages,
• Grade level,
• Phone number,
• Address,
• Emergency contact numbers, and
• Other information about the family.

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Information to Have When Calling Child
Protective Services

• Share any and all information known about the
  family even if you are not sure whether it is
  relevant (for example grandparents recently
  moved in with them a parent is unemployed there
  are other adults in the home there are special
  medical conditions in the family, etc).

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Criteria for Child Maltreatment

• The Department of Social Services will use the
  following criteria in determining if a complaint
  is valid.
• the child must be under the age of 18 at the time
  of the complaint.
• the alleged abuser must be the childs parent or
  caretaker.
• the report must be made in the city or county
  where the child lives, where the abuse occurred,
  or, if neither of these is known, where the abuse
  is discovered.
• the circumstances must meet the state definition
  of abuse and neglect.

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Discussion Questions

• What are the different types of neglect?
• What are the different types of child abuse?
• What is your role in reporting child
  maltreatment? What is the role of your 4-H
  Extension Agent (or other person responsible for
  your county/city 4-H camping program) in
  reporting child maltreatment?

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Discussion Questions

• What is the first thing that you would do if a
  child reported that he/she was abused?
• What do you think is the most important thing
  that should be remembered from this module?

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References

• Garst, B.A. (2005). Virginia 4-H Camping
  Handbook. Virginia Cooperative Extension.
  Publication 388-562.
• National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
  Information (2004). What is Child Abuse and
  Neglect? U.S. Department of Health and Human
  Services.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension. (2004). Risk
  Management Information. Retrieved on March 19,
  2004 from
• http//www.ext.vt.edu/vce/policies/riskmgt.html