Child Abuse and Developmental Disabilities

While the course will include information pertinent to all children, special attention is given to children on the autism spectrum as well as with developmental delays. In the Overview section, we will review statistics on child abuse and discuss the various types of child abuse that can occur. For example, what are the criteria that constitute abuse?  We will then look at the history of child abuse and how laws and legislation have evolved to protect rights of children. We will look at how these laws may vary from state to state.

In the Recognizing section, we will study signs and warnings of potential child abuse. What are the first steps to take when there is a case of suspected abuse? What is mandated reporting, and which states require them?In the Reporting section, we will look at the specifics of filing a report of suspected child abuse and special considerations that one would take for client safety. We will examine the ramifications of reporting abuse and considerations that must be taken in doing so. Finally, in the Case Examples and Summary section, we will sum up the course and look at several case examples.