School Study Guide: How to talk to your child about Child Abuse

Birmingham, Ala. (April 10, 2026) — Each year, thousands of children in the United States experience abuse or neglect.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, in 2023, more than 500,000 children experienced abuse or neglect, while nearly 2,000 died from abuse or neglect. For parents, talking about child abuse can be difficult or uncomfortable, but health experts say that even though it is a hard topic, there are ways for parents to start the conversation.

 
“The main thing to do is not to make it scary,” said Debra Schneider, executive director of the Children’s Hospital Intervention & Prevention Services (CHIPS Center). “The point of talking to the kids about abuse prevention is to empower them and give them a plan.”
 

Schneider says adults need to remember that it is on them to prevent child abuse.
 

“We just want the kids to have the tools to be able to recognize it, respond to it, and report it to a go-to person or a trusted adult,” said Schneider.
 

Child abuse happens when someone caring for a child hurts them emotionally or physically.  There are four types of child abuse:
•    Physical abuse is when a child’s body has been hurt. Schneider says some of the signs of physical abuse include bruises that are not typical or any other concerning marks or pattern injuries that they see, such as broken bones.
•    Emotional abuse (or psychological abuse) happens when caregivers judge, threaten, put down, or reject children or teenagers. Schneider says emotional abuse is the hardest to identify. She says the signs of emotional abuse can be children telling their parents about someone who is constantly talking down to them, bullying them, or saying horrible things to them repeatedly.
•    Sexual abuse is sexual contact or non-contact sexual activities. Schneider says parents should look for a sudden change in a child’s personality. For example, if they were an outgoing child and then suddenly became withdrawn. Schneider says a child may also have trouble sitting or complaining of pain. She also says parents should pay close attention to when a child becomes afraid of certain people or places.
•    Neglect is when an adult does not do what is needed to take care of a child. This includes not giving a child enough food, housing, or clothing, medical care, supervision, attention, or education/schooling. Schneider says some of the signs of neglect are a child dressing inappropriately, a child who seems hungry, or not getting enough medical care.

Schneider says this topic needs to be addressed on an ongoing basis.
 

“Know that we can’t expect to teach children about telling them what to look out for in one sitting,” said Schneider. “It’s got to be continued education, give them what-if scenarios, let them know that you are a person to go to, or give them other people to go to in the situation that they might be in.”
 

Schneider also says that during this conversation, let a child know they can come to you at any time, any day.  She also says that parents need to reassure children that it is never their fault. Once parents have the conversation, they need to be prepared for how they will handle it if their child tells them something concerning.
 

“I think when a child tells, the hardest part for the adult, especially if it is a family member, is their reaction,” said Schneider. “Don’t bombard the child with questions. We’ve got to understand that they are in vulnerable situations and that the adult needs to be the adult and provide comfort, support, not make any promises that they can’t keep, but let the child know that they appreciate them for telling and they will address the situation.”
 

Schneider encourages anyone who suspects abuse to report it immediately. Anyone can report suspected child abuse to the local Department of Human Resources. You can also call the 

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
 

Since 1995, the CHIPS Center at Children’s of Alabama has served as an outpatient clinic for children who have experienced suspected abuse and their families.  For more information on the CHIPS Center, call 205-638-2751 or childrensal.org/CHIPS.