Parent - or carer - child interactions

Alerting features that should prompt you to CONSIDER child maltreatment:

• Potentially harmful parent– or carer–child interactions (emotional abuse), including:

  • negativity or hostility towards a child or young person

  • rejection or scapegoating of a child or young person

  • developmentally inappropriate expectations of or interactions with a child, including inappropriate threats or methods of disciplining

  • exposure to frightening or traumatic experiences, including domestic abuse

  • using the child to fulfil the adult’s needs (for example, in marital disputes)

  • failure to promote the child’s appropriate socialisation (for example, not providing stimulation or education, isolation or involving them in unlawful activities).

• Emotional unavailability and unresponsiveness from the parent or carer towards a child (in particular towards an infant) (emotional neglect).

• Parent or carer prevents you or another healthcare professional from speaking to the child or young person alone when it is necessary for the assessment of the child or young person.

• Parents or carers punishing a child for wetting despite professional advice that the wetting is involuntary.

Alerting features that should prompt you to SUSPECT child maltreatment:

• Persistent harmful parent– or carer–child interactions (emotional abuse).

• Persistent emotional unavailability and unresponsiveness from the parent or carer towards a child (in particular towards an infant) (emotional neglect).