CSSM MB Summer Missionary Manual - Abuse 5
Understanding Abuse
3. Neglect means the failure of those responsible for the care of the child to meet the physical, emotional or medical needs of a child to an extent that the child's health, development or safety is endangered.
The Manitoba Child and Family Services Act defines "abuse" as "an act of omission of a parent or guardian or of a person having care, custody, control or charge of a child, where the act or omission results in:
i) physical injury to the child;
ii) emotional disability of a permanent nature in the child or is likely to result in such a disability; or
iii) sexual exploitation of the child with or without the child's consent
(Child Protection and Child Abuse: Protocols For Social Workers. Manitoba Family Services. February 1995, pp.3-4)
Further guidelines of the above mentioned Act note that: "Abuse is limited to an act or an omission by a person who has the 'care, custody, control or charge of a child'. The focus is on situations involving a parent, guardian, teacher, babysitter, day care worker/ coach, group leader or anyone in a position of trust with the child."
(Child Protection and Child Abuse: Protocols For Social Workers, Manitoba Family Services, February, 1995, p. 4)
In identifying child abuse, the guidelines state:
The act refers to three conditions or types of abuse - physical injury, emotional disability of a permanent nature and sexual exploitation with or without a child's consent. Where one or more of these conditions exists as a result of an act or omission of a parent, guardian or other care provider, the child ought to be considered as suffering abuse and the matter must be reported to an agency.
Abuse involves both factors - the condition of the child and an act or omission of a care provider.
(Child Protection and Child Abuse: Protocols For Social Workers, Manitoba Family Services, February, 1995 p.4)