| Emotional abuse is the wilful or reckless infliction of | | | | an environment which lacks affection and is |
| emotional anguish which significantly harms a | | | | continuously threatening often lack self esteem, |
| child’s emotional development. It most often | | | | moral awareness and remorse. |
| occurs at home, when a parent, carer, sibling, relative | | | | If you are worried about a child you know, you may |
| or baby sitter behaves in a threatening, humiliating | | | | be able to help them to talk about it. However, it is |
| and aggressive way. This can range from neglect, | | | | not always easy for the child to tell anyone about it, |
| rejection, continuous criticism and lack of affection. | | | | especially if the person inflicting the emotional anguish |
| Identifying when a child is being emotionally abused | | | | is a parent or carer. If the child is at school, you may |
| can be very difficult. The effects can be damaging | | | | suggest that he/she talks to a teacher. The child |
| affecting the child developing into a healthy and | | | | may feel more comfortable talking to someone that |
| well-adjusted adult. A child who is being emotionally | | | | they see on a regular basis. You can also contact the |
| abused or neglected may be slow to learn to walk | | | | school or local Social Services for further information |
| and talk, be passive and unable to be spontaneous, | | | | and advice. |
| find it hard to develop close relationships, be easily | | | | If you know the parent or carer well, you can also |
| distracted and struggle or perform badly in school. | | | | talk to them and suggest ways in which they can be |
| Children need to be loved, shown affection, | | | | helped. Many parents may treat their children in an |
| disciplined, encouraged and protected by those close | | | | inappropriate manner because they are under stress |
| to them. An important part of normal child | | | | and feel that they are losing control. You may |
| development is the growth of moral awareness, | | | | suggest that they talk to a health visitor who may |
| acquiring a sense of what is right and wrong and the | | | | also be able to assist with difficulties around managing |
| ability to abide by rules or norms. Children growing in | | | | a house hold with children. |