Child abuse can happen in any family, in any neighbourhood, any place…sometimes in schools as well. Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a serious issue that crosses all limitations of income, race, ethnic inheritance, and religious conviction.The fact is it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children, not just the local establishments only.Thus, various child counselling courses for teachers are now preparing counsellors as well as teachers and parents to be aware of these kinds of situations.

In reality, child abuse and neglect occur in unhealthy relationships and surroundings. To prevent children from these terrors, addressing various risk and protective factors at the specific, interpersonal, community, and societal levels is being required.Also, in the age of social media, privacy standards are at risk and still numerous adults are restrained from sharing or disclosing their worries about child exploitation.Unfortunately, this type of ‘bystander’behaviour is far too common.

Here Are Some Ways to Help Prevent Child Abuse —

1. Interventions

Interventions include the examination of child abuse reports by the state child protection agencies, medical treatment of physical and psychological wounds, family counselling. Also, the access to therapeutic care is frequently determined by social service or law and administration people, and the accessibility of medical or psychological services. Moreover, numerous studies of interventions for fatalities of child mistreatment differentiate between different types of abuse, chiefly sexual abuse.Several agencies have accountability for defining guidelines that guide interventions in child abuse.

2. Get Involved

Try to get involved with other parents in your community and support the helpless children as well as their families.Educate yourself well and others too. For example, various after-school actions, parent education classes, mentoring programs, and respite care are some of the countless ways to do that. Be a voice in support of these exertions. This simple support for children can be the greatest way to prevent child abuse.

3. Nurturing

Teach children their rights.Children usually depend on various adults as they grow up, like parents, relatives, teachers, child care workers, etc.to get support and guidance.Constant positive associations between children and adults in their lives are significant. Nevertheless, another big problem is, individuals are anxious to get involved in someone else’s problem.If you perceive that a neighbour or a friend is under a lot of tension that might hurt kids in their care, suggest that the person get assistance from one of these services. In this way, you may even stop the problem before it twitches.

4. Knowledge of Child Development

This is very much essential. Every parent or caregiver should become proficient by learning the different kinds of parenting skills, how children grow and transform and so on. They also need to know about their kid’s exclusive needs and aptitudes. Also, parents who can change their attitudes and behaviours for the assistance of their kid usually deliver more reliable strength and provision. On the other hand, children also count on parents as well as caregivers to acquire the emotions and learn how to relay to others in their lives. These aids are imperative to protect children from impairment.

5. Change In Social Norms

Transformation in social standards to support parents and positive parenting is another strategy to prevent children from abuse. Legislative approaches to reduce corporal punishment, public engagement and education campaigns can be some of the helpful approaches here. Additionally, delivering quality care and education early in life is important. Preschool enhancement with family engagement, a better quality of child care through certifying and accreditation also helps in a great way.

6. Promote Programs

Promote helpful programs related to child abuse in school, in your home or in your society, anywhere!Teaching kids, parents, teachers as well as different types of prevention strategies can help to keep children safe.Generally, intervention only occurs after abuse is reported. Therefore, greater investments are required in programs that have been established to stop the abuse before it happens. Improved primary care, behavioural parent training programs, counselling programs, treatment to stop behavioural problems and later involvement in violence, etc. all help in lessening the harms and prevent future risk.

7. Recognize the Signs

Indications that a kid is being sexually harmed are frequently present, but there are many indistinguishable signs that include of child anxiety, suffering, or trauma and so on.Emotional or behavioural signs like aggression, non-compliance, and insurgence, anxiety, depression, fear, withdrawal, and suicidal feelings, nightmares, bed-wetting, bullying, brutality to animals, lack of interest in families or friends, sports, and other activities…all are being included in behavioural indications.

8. Consider the Facts

Quite sadly, 30% of children are abused by family members and as many as 60% are harmed by people the family beliefs. Also, almost 35% of fatalities are 11 years old or younger and nearly 40% are abused by older children. Experts and research show that the greatest danger to kids doesn’t come from outsiders but friends and family. And the abusers look and act just like everyone else, so it is very difficult to distinguish those criminals.

Here, we recommend DON’T OVERREACT! Try to stay calm and know where to search for help. When you react badly, the child may feel even more ashamed and embarrassed. Try to encourage the child to talk, but remember, don’t ask any questions about any particulars.

Concluding Thoughts

Seek the help of a professional who is trained to manage these situations well by the child counselling courses for teachers. This step could be important to the child’s curing and to any criminal action.Don’t panic.Remember that abuse often recurrences itself in the next generation. Together we all can help in preventing our children from abuse and neglect.