What constitutes child abuse?

The identification of child abuse primarily revolves around the mistreatment or neglect of a child by a parent or caregiver. This encompasses various forms of abuse, such as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect, which can severely affect a child's well-being and development. Parents and caregivers hold a responsibility for the safety and nurturing of a child, and any failure to meet those obligations or any intentional harm done can be classified as abuse.

While neglect by a teacher can certainly harm a child, it does not fall under the traditional definition of abuse as it pertains more directly to authority figures or caregivers, who have a specific duty towards the child's welfare. Financial exploitation of a child, while harmful, typically pertains to different legal aspects and does not primarily address the relationship between a child and their primary caregivers. Peer abuse in schools, often seen as bullying, impacts a child's emotional health, but it again deviates from the direct responsibility that caregivers have for the welfare of the child.