Page 36 - Policies

a. A weak, pale, and listless appearance; loss of body fat.
b. Staring vacantly, instead of smiling and maintaining eye contact.
c. Sleeping in a curled up, fetal position with fists tightly closed.
d. Rocking back and forth in bed as he lies on his back or banging his

head repeatedly against his crib.
e. Obvious delays in developmental and motor function.
f. Is defined as “the failure of the parent to provide reasonable support

and to maintain regular contact with the child, including the providing
of normal supervision, when such failure is accompanied by an
intention on the part of the parent to permit such condition to continue
for an indefinite period in the future. Abandoned includes a judicial
finding that a parent has made only minimal efforts to support and
communicate with the child. Failure to maintain a normal parental
relationship with the child without just cause for a period of six months
shall constitute prima facie evidence of abandonment."

12. Emotional abuse is evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or improper
aggressive behavior as diagnosed by a medical doctor or psychologist and caused by the
acts or omissions of the parent or caretaker. Emotional maltreatment includes blaming,
belittling, or rejecting a child, constantly treating siblings unequally, and persistent lack of
concern by the caretaker for the child's welfare. Emotional maltreatment is rarely
manifested in physical signs, particularly in the normal school setting; speech disorders,
lags in physical development, and failure to thrive syndrome are physical indicators of
emotional maltreatment. More often it is observed through behavioral indicators, and even
these indicators may not be immediately apparent. While emotional maltreatment does
occur alone, it often accompanies physical abuse and sometimes sexual abuse.

13. Emotional abuse is the result of cruel or unconscionable acts and/or statements made,

threatened to be made or permitted to be made by the caregiver(s) that have a direct
effect on the child; or caregiver’s failure to provide nurturance, protection or appropriate

guidance. The caregiver’s behavior, intentional or unintentional, must be related to the
observable and substantial impairment of the child’s psychological, cognitive, emotional
and/or social well-being and functioning.

14. Threat of harm is subjecting a child to a substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or
welfare. Substantial harm is defined as immobilizing impairment, life-threatening
damage, or significant or acute injury to a child’s physical, sexual, psychological, or
mental development and/or functioning. Some examples of this type of abuse are:

a. A child living with or cared for by a person who has been convicted of child
abuse or neglect of any child in the past.

b. A child born to or coming to live with any person who has a child currently out
of their home because of child abuse or neglect.

c. A newborn whose primary caregiver appears to lack the skills necessary to
provide adequate care even though the child has not suffered harm.

d. A child living with a person who is involved in child pornography.

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Hopess – Policy and Procedure Manual