Child abuse – ‘Child maltreatment is the abuse and neglect that occurs to children under 18 years of age. It includes all types of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, negligence and commercial or other exploitation, which results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power’ (WHO 2022a).

Harm – can be defined as physical or psychological and can include harm caused by sexual, physical or emotional abuse, or neglect (Government of South Australia 2023).

Domestic violence – refers to acts of violence that occur in domestic settings between 2 people who are, or were, in an intimate relationship (Our Watch 2021).

Family violence – is a broader term than domestic violence, as it refers not only to violence between intimate partners but also to violence between family members (Our Watch 2021).

Domestic and family violence can include physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse, coercive control and stalking.

Abuse is the action/s or inaction/s (in the case of neglect) against a child, whereas harm is the impact experienced by the child.

Types of abuse and neglect include:

• Physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force against a child that causes, or is likely to cause, harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity. Much physical violence against children in the home is often inflicted as a form of punishment. This violence may occur as a single incident or be repeated over time (AIFS 2018b).
• Psychological or emotional abuse includes any act by a person resulting in a child suffering emotional deprivation or trauma. It can also include children affected by exposure to family violence (AIHW 2023a).
• Sexual abuse occurs when someone in a position of power uses that power to involve the child or young person in sexual activity (Department for Child Protection n.d.). Sexual abuse includes contact and non-contact abuse. Contact abuse involves an individual making physical contact with a child, eg inappropriate touch. Non-contact abuse refers to a child being abused (in-person or online) without being touched by the individual (NSPCC n.d.).
• Neglect includes supervisory neglect leading to harm or abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation and exposure to or involvement in criminal activities. Physical neglect is characterised by a caregiver’s failure to provide basic physical necessities, such as safe, clean and adequate clothing, housing, food and health care. Medical neglect refers to a caregiver’s failure to provide appropriate medical care. Emotional neglect is characterised by a lack of caregiver warmth, nurturance, encouragement and support (AIFS 2018b).

Trauma-informed practice

Trauma-informed practice in education prioritises the physical, psychological and emotional safety and wellbeing of all children and young people, recognising the detrimental impacts of complex trauma on some.

It supports care and education sites in building inclusive environments by enhancing staff understanding and commitment to proactively fostering safety, relationships and regulation (Department for Education 2024).

Trauma can impact the development of many of the skills and behaviours that are required for success in learning including:

• memory, concentration, the motivation to learn and confidence in their own abilities
• ability to form relationships necessary to engage with teachers and peers
• emotional and physical regulation required to participate in classrooms.

Being safe vs feeling safe

Being safe is paramount. Ensuring actual safety through protective measures and risk awareness is essential, even if it doesn’t match the feelings of safety. Feelings of safety can be manufactured through processes such as grooming or corruption.

Risks

Some risks can lead to personal growth and build confidence while other risks can lead to harm. Support students to develop ways to discern the difference and explore ways to manage risks. Ways to manage risk can include: having a plan, paying attention to warning signs, knowing what is unsafe or not ok, knowing their rights, following rules/ safety guidelines, knowing who they can talk to.

Secrets

Secrecy is a common tactic employed in the process of grooming. In the KS:CPC secrets can be categorised into safe secrets or unsafe secrets. If students are unsure if a secret is safe or unsafe, they must check with a trusted adult.

All children and young people have the right to be safe from all forms of harm, abuse and neglect, to be cared for and respected and to know they are never responsible if harm, abuse or neglect occurs. The KS:CPC provides children and young people with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding about their rights, warning signs, how to recognise unsafe situations, abuse, healthy and unhealthy relationships and positive use of power. Problem-solving skills and strategies for help-seeking, accessing support services and reporting are explored.

KS:CPC connections

All children and young people have the right to be safe from all forms of harm, abuse and neglect, to be cared for and respected and to know they are never responsible if harm, abuse or neglect occurs. The KS:CPC provides children and young people with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding about their rights, warning signs, how to recognise unsafe situations, abuse, healthy and unhealthy relationships and positive use of power. Problem-solving skills and strategies for help-seeking, accessing support services and reporting are explored.

Find opportunities to embed respectful relationship concepts across subjects and learning areas. For Australian educators, connections can be made between the KS:CPC, Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. Also refer to Australian Curriculum: Respectful relationships.

Educator tips: Safe, unsafe and risks

• Explicit teaching about safe and unsafe situations will help students assess levels of risk. Use one step removed (NNA 4) when discussing unsafe and abusive situations.
• There is a difference between feeling safe and being safe, as someone may feel safe in a potentially unsafe situation. This highlights the importance for students to learn strategies to assess various situations.
• Risk and risk-taking can have both positive and negative implications. They are an inherent part of personal and academic growth. Encouraging students to take informed risks while being aware of potential consequences can lead to valuable learning experiences and personal development.

Educator tips: Understanding abuse

• Establish a safe learning environment, adopt trauma-informed approaches that are sensitive and predictable, understand the individual needs of children, be aware of signs of trauma and the possibility of re-traumatising children (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation 2020).
• When discussing topics about abuse, use developmentally appropriate language, protective interrupting (NNA 5), a one step removed approach (NNA 4) and avoid demonstrating situations of abuse. Preview all videos and other resources to assess their suitability for the student cohort and ensure group norms (NNA 3) have been established.
• Recognising the characteristics of neglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse will help students report potential abusive situations.
• Perpetrators of abuse often use strategies to groom and trick a child to gain their trust and maintain secrecy. Teach students about safe and unsafe secrets; that safe secrets are only kept for a short time; and some secrets should never be kept.
• Remind students about the names of body parts and types of touch before delivering activities that focus on recognising abuse.
• Names of body parts referred to in the KS:CPC include mouth, bottom, anus, breasts/chest, nipples, penis, testes, vagina and vulva. Some resources refer to these body parts collectively as ‘private body parts’ or ‘sexual body parts’, however, the KS:CPC focuses on the whole body being private, where no one has the right to touch anyone’s body without their consent.
• When referring to body parts, the KS:CPC focuses on their names and locations, not their function. Use language such as ‘most males’ or ‘most females’ to ensure inclusivity and safety, acknowledging the diversity of human biology and gender.

The term ‘victim’ is used in some instances as a commonly recognised legal term. However, it is important to avoid labelling the individual as a victim and instead acknowledge that they have endured or experienced abuse (NSPCC Learning 2024).

All alone: What is child neglect (Kids Helpline)

AISA child protection handbook: for teachers, administrators and board members (Association of International Schools in Africa 2018)

An adult hurt me: What is physical abuse? (Kids Helpline)

Challenging victim blaming language and behaviours when dealing with the online experiences of children and young people (UK Council for Internet Safety)

Child protection and safeguarding (Council of International Schools)

Hurt on the inside: What is emotional abuse? (Kids Helpline)

Peer-on-peer abuse toolkit (Farrer & Co)

Understanding emotional abuse (Kids Helpline)

Understanding sexual abuse (Kids Helpline)

Understanding sexual assault (Kids Helpline)

What is abuse? (Kids Helpline)

What is online grooming (Kids Helpline)

What to do if someone is hurting you (Kids Helpline)

Young people’s guide to dealing with online sexual harassment and image-based abuse (eSafety Commissioner)

Department for Education SA

Sexual behaviour in children and young people

Unwanted sexual behaviour and sexual harassment information for students (Department for Education).

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) (2018b) What is child abuse and neglect?, viewed October 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10194

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2023a) Glossary, viewed October 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10195

Department for Child Protection (n.d.) Indicators of harm or risk to children and young people, viewed October 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10508

Department for Education (2024) Trauma-informed practice in education, viewed November 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10647

Government of South Australia (2023) Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017, Attorney-General’s Department

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) (n.d.) Sexual abuse, viewed October 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10218

NSPCC Learning (2024) Why language matters: why we should avoid the term ‘victim’ when talking about children who have experienced abuse, viewed November 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/a/10863

Our Watch (2021) Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women in Australia (2nd ed), Melbourne: Australia

World Health Organization (WHO) (2022a) Child maltreatment, viewed October 2024, https://kscpc.sa.edu.au/e/10192