Child Abuse Identification and Reporting: The Pennsylvania Requirement _____________________________
– Indecent exposure (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3127, relating to indecent exposure) – Incest (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 4302, relating to incest) – Prostitution (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5902, relat- ing to prostitution and related offenses) – Sexual abuse (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312, relating to sexual abuse of children) – Unlawful contact with a minor (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6318, relating to unlawful contact with minor) – Sexual exploitation (as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6320, relating to sexual exploitation of children) Indicators of sexual abuse or exploitation include: • Sexually promiscuous behavior • Developmental age-inappropriate sexual play and/or drawings • Cruelty to others • Cruelty to animals • Fire setting • Anxious • Withdrawn • Sleep disturbances • Bedwetting • Pain or irritation in genital/anal area • Difficulty walking or sitting • Difficulty urinating • Pregnancy • Positive testing for sexually transmitted infection(s) (e.g., HIV) • Excessive or injurious masturbation
Indicators of serious physical neglect include: • Not registered in school • Inadequate or inappropriate supervision • Poor impulse control • Frequently fatigued • Parentified behaviors • Lack of adequate medical and dental care
• Often hungry • Lack of shelter • Weight is significantly lower than normal for their age and gender • Developmental delays • Persistent (untreated) conditions (e.g., head lice, diaper rash) • Exposure to hazards (e.g., illegal drugs, rodent/insect infestation, mold) • Clothing that is dirty, inappropriate for the weather, too small, or too large
Serious Mental Injury Definitions (23 Pa.C.S. § 6303)
Serious mental injury is a psychological condition, as diagnosed by a physician or licensed psychologist, including the refusal of appropriate treatment, that [1]: • Renders a child chronically and severely anxious, agitated, depressed, socially withdrawn, psychotic, or in reasonable fear that the child’s life or safety is threat- ened; or • Seriously interferes with a child’s ability to accomplish age-appropriate developmental and social tasks Indicators of serious mental injury include: • Expressing feelings of inadequacy • Fearful of trying new things • Overly compliant • Poor peer relationships • Excessive dependence on adults • Habit disorders (e.g., sucking, rocking) • Eating disorders • Frequent psychosomatic complaints (e.g., nausea, stom- achache, headache) • Bed-wetting • Self-harm • Speech disorders
Serious Physical Neglect Definitions (23 Pa.C.S. § 6303)
Pennsylvania law defines serious physical neglect of a child as any of the following when committed by a perpetrator that endangers a child’s life or health, threatens a child’s well-being, causes bodily injury, or impairs a child’s health, development, or functioning: • A repeated, prolonged, or egregious failure to supervise a child in a manner that is appropriate considering the child’s developmental age and abilities • The failure to provide a child with adequate essentials of life, including food, shelter, or medical care
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