Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

800.394.3366 | Email: info@childwelfare.gov | https://www.childwelfare.gov

HOW

INSIDE... INSIDE... WHAT’sS

you

HELP

SOMEONE WHO IS BEING

ABUSED OR NEGLECTED ABUSED OR NEGLECTED

can

Every child deserves a safe, loving family and to

have his or her basic needs—such as food, clothing, and 

shelter—met. Most parents try their best to provide 

these things for their children, but unfortunately, 

not all parents do, and not all children are cared 

for and safe. Some children may not be safe 

because their parent or other caregiver (such as 

a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or babysitter) is 

harming them. Others may not be safe because 

there isn’t a responsible adult to watch or 

take care of them. When children aren’t safe 

because of what a parent or other caregiver 

does or doesn’t do, this could be child abuse 

or neglect. This tip sheet will provide you with 

more information about what child abuse 

and neglect is and what to do if you 

or a friend isn’t safe. • What is child abuse or neglect?

• How do I know if someone is being

abused or neglected?

• What should I do if someone

is being abused or neglected?

SEPTEMBER 2018 september 2018
WHAT IS

CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT WHAT IS

CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT ?

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Child abuse or neglect is when a parent or other caregiver does 

something that harms—or will likely harm—a child. This also includes 

times when a parent or other caregiver fails to do things that will keep 

a child safe and healthy. Examples of child abuse and neglect are often 

organized into four categories:

• Physical abuse is when a parent or other 

caregiver seriously hurts or injures a child. 

This could include hitting a child with an 

object, burning a child, or in other ways 

purposely hurting a child. It doesn’t include 

accidents, like if a parent tripped and fell 

on a child.

• Neglect is when a parent or other caregiver does 

not make sure a child’s basic needs are met. This 

could include not providing a safe place to live, not 

providing enough food to stay healthy, or not making 

sure there is a trustworthy adult or babysitter to watch 

the child when the parent or other caregiver isn’t 

home. It also could include not bringing a really sick 

child to the doctor. 

• Emotional abuse is when a parent or other 

caregiver repeatedly puts down, makes fun of, 

threatens, ignores, or does other things that 

harm a child’s emotional health. 

• Sexual abuse is when a parent or other adult 

inappropriately touches a child or has a child 

inappropriately touch them. This includes 

touching “private” areas, but it also could include 

other things. For example, it could include the 

adult taking or showing sexually inappropriate 

photos or videos to a child. 
HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE IS

BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTed HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE IS

BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTED?

POSSIBLE

SIGNS

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It’s often really hard—even for adults—to know if a child is being harmed. Sometimes we may 

see it happening with our own eyes, such as if we notice an adult hitting a child. But other times 

we may only see signs of what could be happening. These signs may mean a child is being hurt 

by an adult, but there could be other causes, too. 

The list below gives a few signs that a child may be abused or neglected, but you should remember two 

things. First, a child who shows these signs may not necessarily be abused or neglected by an adult, but 

these signs may be reasons to be concerned and for you to talk with an adult. (This will be explained 

more later.) Second, this list is not complete. There are many other signs of abuse and neglect, too.

These are examples of signs a child may be abused or 

neglected or otherwise needs help:

• The child has injuries (bruises, burns, cuts, etc.) that he or she 

can’t or won’t explain, or the explanation doesn’t make sense.

• The child is frightened of his or her parents or other adults.

• The child hurts pets or other animals.

• The child spends a lot of time at home without a parent 

or other caregiver (if the child is young).

• The child uses alcohol or drugs.

• The child avoids going home or spending time with a particular adult.

• The child often comes to school in dirty clothes.

Sometimes you also may just get a feeling that something isn’t right about 

how a parent or other caregiver treats a child or how a friend is acting. If you 

are concerned about someone, you should talk to a trusted adult, such as a 

parent, teacher, or school counselor. We’ll explain more about that in the 

next section.

The child also may tell you he or she is being harmed. If someone 

does tell you he or she is being abused or neglected, here are a 

few tips about how you can react: 

• Listen to what the child has to say.

• Tell the child you care and want to help.

• Let the child know he or she is not alone.

• Let the child know what is happening is not his or her fault.

• Encourage the child to talk to a trusted adult to get help.
What Should I Do If Someone Is 

BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTed WHat should I do IF Someone is

BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTED?

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If you suspect or know that a child is being abused or neglected, there are ways you can 

help. If you or someone else is in immediate and serious danger, you should call 911. 

In other cases, you can find a trusted adult to talk with. You don’t need to be 100 

percent sure that a child is being abused or neglected to talk with someone. 

You should share your worries, and the adult can help determine what to do next. 

You also can encourage the child to talk to a trusted adult.

Many times, there is a trusted adult already in your life—such as a parent, teacher, 

school counselor, or coach—that you can approach. You can tell this trusted adult what 

your concerns are or what you’ve witnessed. Give a complete, honest description of what 

you know. This may be a difficult conversation to have, but remember the reason you’re 

having it: to keep someone (maybe you) safe. The adult can help figure out what can 

be done. 

Some children and youth may not have an adult that they trust enough to talk with about 

their concerns, or they may have told an adult who does not believe them. In this case, 

there are national and local hotlines they can call for help. The Childhelp National 

Child Abuse Hotline has counselors available 24 hours every day to talk with 

children and adults about abuse and neglect. To reach a Childhelp counselor, 

call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) and then press 1. For 

more information about Childhelp, you can visit

https://www.childhelp.org/hotline/resources-kids/.

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Other

Questions you might have questions you might have ?

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Here are answers to other questions that might come up in these situations:

Isn’t telling someone else just tattling or snitching?

No. There’s a big difference between telling someone about a child who is being hurt and tattling. 

Children usually tattle to get another child in trouble for not following a rule. Telling someone about abuse 

or neglect—or even bullying—is about keeping a child safe. You aren’t tattling when you report abuse or 

neglect to someone.

What will happen after I tell someone?

After you talk with a trusted adult or call a hotline, that person may contact a local agency, often called 

child protective services, or CPS. The workers at CPS are trained to help make sure that children and 

families are safe. When they receive a call, CPS workers review the information and figure out if they need 

to investigate. If so, they may talk with the family, the child, or others to help determine what’s making the 

child unsafe. CPS workers can help parents or other caregivers get services, education, or other assistance 

so they can learn to better care for their children in their own homes. If a child is in danger at that moment 

or has been seriously hurt by a parent or other caregiver, the CPS worker may need to have the child stay 

with another relative or in foster care, which is a temporary home for the child to live. In these situations, 

the CPS worker will work with the family so that the child can return to live with the parent or other 

caregiver when CPS determines they will be safe and properly treated. 

Will I get in trouble for telling someone?

If you’re being honest about what you’ve noticed, you won’t get in trouble, even if the child was not actually 

being abused or neglected. You don’t have to be absolutely sure about whether a child is being abused or 

neglected when you talk with someone about your concerns. You told someone because you really thought 

the child was in danger. However, if someone purposely lies to CPS when reporting abuse or neglect, they 

could get in trouble. 

Will the other child get upset with me for telling someone else?

Children often tell each other secrets, or you may see or hear something that was supposed to be a secret. 

A friend or classmate may tell you they are being harmed and ask you not to tell anyone. When a child is 

being harmed, this is a secret that must be shared, and telling a trusted adult is the right move. It’s possible 

the child could be upset you told, but he or she is probably feeling a lot of different emotions at that time. 

The child may feel scared because he or she is being hurt. The child may feel ashamed or embarrassed 

that someone else knows about what happened. The child may be confused because someone he or she 

cares about is harming them. The child may feel guilty because he or she told someone else about “family 

business.” All these feelings are normal, but you should still tell someone. By talking with a trusted adult, 

you are showing the child that you care, and it could lead to the family getting help to keep everyone safe. 

Why do parents abuse or neglect their children? 

There are many reasons why a parent or other caregiver may abuse or neglect a child, but no matter what, 

it’s never the child’s fault. Adults who hurt children may have trouble controlling their anger. They also may 

not know about children’s needs or have unrealistic expectations about how children grow and develop (for 

example, thinking a baby should be potty trained by age 1). Adults also may have problems—such as using 

drugs or having mental health issues—that affect how they make decisions. Of course, there are many other 

reasons an adult may abuse or neglect a child, and not every parent who has the problems mentioned here 

will harm their children. No matter the reason an adult harms a child, it is important that the family receives 

help to make sure it stops.
Every child deserves a safe, loving family and to 

have his or her basic needs—such as food, clothing, 

and shelter—met. 

Child abuse or neglect is when a parent or other 

caregiver does something that harms—or will likely 

harm—a child or when a parent or other caregiver fails 

to do things that will keep a child safe and healthy. 

Help is available. If you or someone else is in immediate 

and serious danger, you should call 911. In other cases, 

find a trusted adult to talk with or call the Childhelp 

National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD 

(1-800-422-4453) and then press 1. 

Telling someone about abuse or neglect—or even 

bullying—is about keeping a child safe. You aren’t 

tattling when you tell someone about abuse 

or neglect.

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TOP

TAKEAWAYS

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau