Recognizing Child Abuse

Three to five children die every day in the U.S. as a result of abuse or neglect. Recognizing Child Abuse, primarily aimed at teachers and children's caregivers, hopes to help break the cycle by informing viewers how to recognize and report abuse. This guide presents the “four Rs”: the “reality” of child abuse, short and long-term “results,” how to “recognize” various forms of abuse, and finally, the correct ways to “report” it. An ongoing dramatized case study illustrating each “R” (in which a teacher notices one of her students exhibiting signs of severe neglect) is interwoven with interviews of professionals including social workers, school counselors, psychologists, and pediatricians. Child abuse is an ugly subject (viewers should be prepared to hear uncomfortable and disturbing details), but this practical, realistic program goes a long way in presenting evaluative tools to help recognize potential abuse and take prompt action. Highly recommended. Aud: K, E, I, C, P. (E. Gieschen)