CRITICAL QUESTIONS

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TWENTY-FOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN THE AREA OF CHILD ABUSE

  1. What constitutes child abuse and neglect?
  2. Who has to report child abuse and neglect?
  3. If I report, am I breaking confidentiality?
  4. Under what circumstances do I have a duty to report child abuse?
  5. How do I report? and What information am I required to disclose in a child abuse report?
  6. Will I get in trouble if I do not report child abuse as required under laws of my state?
  7. Will I get in trouble if I do report? and Can I be sued by the person I report?
  8. Do I have to report every instance of child abuse?
  9. Do I have to report if the suspected abuser is in treatment or if I believe the reporting would do more harm than good?
  10. What will be the response to my report?
  11. Are there issues I should consider for disclosure?
  12. How shall I handle a child’s disclosure of abuse by a parent?
  13. How shall I handle a child’s disclosure of abuse by a non-family member?
  14. What are some possible effects for the child, the family, and treatment when a disclosure or report are made?
  15. What are possible beneficial effects of reporting for the child and family?
  16. What are some of the possible personal issues I should be aware of in handling disclosure and reporting?
  17. What are the characteristics and symptoms of a child who has been abused?
  18. How do I recognize and verify what abuse had occurred?
  19. Are there psychological measures to assist in evaluations of victims of child abuse?
  20. What special considerations are there in the assessment of victims of child abuse?
  21. What are the emotional demands of providing intervention services to victims of child abuse?
  22. What roles can I play in supporting and providing intervention services to the victims of child abuse?
  23. How do I provide treatment to a child who has been abused?
  24. What are the therapeutic issues, reasonable goals, and special considerations when providing treatment to a child who has been abused?

From The American Psychological Association’s (APA, 1995) Committee on Professional Practice and Standards