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Part 2A: Identification of abuse and neglect

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child so as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.

It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.

It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them, or making fun of what they say or how they communicate.

It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.

It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Emotional abuse can include:
Humiliating or constantly criticising a child. Threatening, shouting at a child or calling them names. Make the child the subject of jokes, or using sarcasm to hurt a child.
Blaming and scapegoating. Making a child perform degrading acts. Not recognising a child’s own individuality or trying to control their lives.
Pushing a child too hard or not recognising their limitations. Exposing a child to upsetting events or situations, like domestic abuse or drug taking. Failing to promote a child’s social development.
Not allowing them to have friends. Persistently ignoring them. Being absent.
Manipulating a child. Never saying anything kind, expressing positive feelings or congratulating a child on successes. Never showing any emotions in interactions with a child, also known as emotional neglect.

Signs of emotional abuse can be different for children at different ages.

Signs in babies and toddlers: Signs in older children:
  • Being overly-affectionate to strangers or people they don't know well.
  • Seeming unconfident, wary or anxious.
  • Not having a close relationship or bond with their parent.
  • Being aggressive or cruel towards other children or animals.
  • Using language you wouldn't expect them to know for their age.
  • Acting in a way or know about things you wouldn't expect them to know for their age.
  • Struggling to control their emotions.
  • Having extreme outbursts.
  • Seeming isolated from their parents.
  • Lacking social skills.
  • Having few or no friends.

Impact of emotional abuse

Over time, emotional abuse can have serious long term effects on a child’s social, emotional and physical health and development and can include:

  • Behaviour problems such as wanting attention, not caring how they act, trying to make people dislike them, developing risky behaviour.
  • Impact on emotional development such as how they feel, express and control emotions. They can find it difficult to make and maintain healthy relationships in later life.
  • Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and self-harm.

As with neglect, there are other factors and life circumstances which can make it more difficult for parents and carers to provide a safe and loving home for their children, such as relationship or family problems, money problems or unemployment, poverty, mental health issues, drug or alcohol addiction and domestic abuse.

References
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