Who is an At-Risk Child? There is no concrete definition of such a term but one may be considered at risk if one is subjected to all forms of abuse. Children may be deprived of their essential needs and are not given the sufficient care their parents should have provided.
Are you seeing children that you suspect that are at risk? Confirm your suspicion with these six signs:
- Bruises, lacerations, and burns.
The easiest way to detect if children are abused is through their bodies. If you find visible discolorations underneath their shirt, it may be a good time to worry. However, not all discolorations are physically inflicted. Some may be caused by certain diseases. - Gloomy emotional disposition.
Most children are bright and hyperactive. They love to play and go to places. However, if you suddenly notice that they stop being their usual cheery selves, something might have happened. The suspicion that they are at risk is high if they break down out of the blue. - Self-harm.
It is an abnormal behavior for children to harm themselves. For self-harm to occur, psychologists say that a deep emotional or mental trauma might have happened beforehand. For children, common causes might be domestic violence and sexual abuse. - Malnutrition.
One of the most basic rights of children is the right to proper nutrition. The little ones must have at least three meals a day composed of nutritious and well-balanced menus. Do you know children near you that are too lanky, with no improvements to their health over the years? Those little angels may be at risk. - Age inappropriate sexual knowledge.
Children, especially those in primary school, do not usually have an idea about sex. At best, it is just a delineation between the two different genders. However, if children speak explicitly about sex or how it happens, something might have educated them about it. Sadly in this cases, it is typically their bitter sexual encounters that prematurely open their minds to this matter. - Children’s testimony.
Children are always believed to be truthful. They only say what they have experienced or witnessed. So if some children approach you and say that they have been abused, confirm these allegations right away.
Ever since April of 2002, Community Access Network started its mission of saving children from clutches of abuse and ill influences. As a Social Services Organization in California, we serve as a Youth Development Center that caters to children and families in need of mental, emotional, psychological, and social reconciliation.
If you have a soft spot for children and families who are deprived by the fate of their necessities, then our doors are open for you! Community Access Network accepts donations from gracious, benevolent people like you with golden hearts. From such gratuity, we hold programs and activities to increase our fostered children’s care and comfort.
To send in your help, please visit www.fosterkidscan.org/social-services-organization-help-our-kids. Thank you for changing a child’s life for the better today!