By JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Boston, MA) – Leaders in child protection services are sounding the alarms around child abuse during the pandemic. Although reports are down, stress factors like job insecurity, food insecurity, and sickness have disproportionately increased. Mandated reporters for child abuse, like teachers, medical providers, therapists, and clergy have been cut off from one-on-one interactions with vulnerable children during the pandemic.
Anyone interacting with children during the pandemic should look for signs of abuse. Physical appearance of bruises, marks, injuries, hygiene, or attire is an obvious sign of abuse. Additional signs are environmental indications of violence, drug and alcohol abuse, or family disfunction, behavioral signs such as change in mood, distress or outcries of abuse, changes in participation, interaction, and communication, and access to a responsible adult and their level of involvement are other signs of abuse. Suspected abuse should be reported to the Department of Children and Families at 1-800-792-5200.