DCF CERTIFICATION – CHILD ABUSE AND
NEGLECT, IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, CAAN || EXAM
WITH QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS ||
LATEST 2024/2025
Child abuse - ANSWER-Any non-accidental injury, sexual battery, or injury to the
intellectual or psychological capacity of a child by the parent, adult household
member, or other person responsible for the child's welfare.
Physical abuse - ANSWER-The mistreatment of a child by a person responsible
for the child's welfare that results in injury or harm to the child.
Sexual abuse - ANSWER-Sexual contact or interaction between a child and an
adult or older child. Includes indecent exposure, fondling, touching sexual organs,
forcible rape, sodomy, exploitation, and showing pornography.
Verbal abuse - ANSWER-A form of emotional abuse that involves excessive
yelling, shaming, belittling and/or teasing of a child.
Institutional abuse or neglect - ANSWER-Situations of known or suspected child
abuse or neglect which occurs at the institution where the person allegedly
perpetrating the child abuse or neglect is an employee of a private school, public or
,private child care center, residential home, institution, program, or agency or any
other person at such institution responsible for the child's care.
Neglect - ANSWER-Failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care
or needed supervision.
Emotional neglect - ANSWER-Failure to provide support, acceptance, attention,
warmth’s supervision and normal living experiences for a child to the extent that
the child is impaired in ability to function normally in performance and behavior.
Harm - ANSWER-Anything to a child's health or welfare that can occur when any
person:
a) inflicts, or allows to be inflicted, upon the child physical, mental, or emotional
injury;
b) commits, or allows to be committed, sexual battery, or lewd or lascivious acts
against a child;
c) allows, encourages, or forces the sexual exploitation of a child;
d) exploits a child, or allows a child to be exploited;
e) abandons a child;
f) neglects a child;
g) exposes a child to a controlled substance or alcohol;
h) uses mechanical devices, unreasonable restraints, or extended periods of
isolation to control a child;
i) engages in violent behavior that demonstrates a wanton disregard for the
presence of a child and could
reasonably result in serious injury to the child;
j) negligently fails to protect a child in his or her care from inflicted physical,
mental, or sexual injury caused
,by the acts of another;
k) has allowed a child's sibling to die as a result of abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
Inadequate supervision - ANSWER-When a child is left alone in a situation
beyond their physical and emotional development level or when a child is left in
the care of someone who does not provide adequate supervision.
Lack of adequate shelter - ANSWER-When the child is exposed to structurally
unsafe housing, exposed wiring, inadequate or unsafe heating, or unsanitary
housing conditions.
Lack of adequate clothing/good hygiene - ANSWER-When a child suffers or is
likely to suffer, from physical or emotional health conditions resulting from
inadequate clothing, improper hygiene and uncleanness.
lack of adequate nutrition - ANSWER-When the caretaker has regularly failed to
provide or have available adequate food to the child, which can cause malnutrition
over a long period of time.
Lack of medical/dental care - ANSWER-When a medical or dental condition is left
untreated, possibly resulting in serious or long-term harm to the child.
Lack of love and attention (failure to thrive) - ANSWER-When the parents deny
satisfying or fulfilling relationships, thus avoiding most interactions as a method of
avoiding rejection and failure. The lack of support or emotional care or love can
cause the infant and/or child's weight to fall below the fifth percentile for age.
Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical abuse? - ANSWER-
Behavioral
Banging, hitting or threatening play
, Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical abuse? - ANSWER-
Behavioral
Consistent hunger, poor hygiene,
over/under dressed for the climate
Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical neglect? - ANSWER-Physical
Consistent lack of supervision,
especially in dangerous activities over
long periods of time
Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical neglect? - ANSWER-Physical
Abandonment
Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical neglect? - ANSWER-Physical
Unattended physical problems or
medical needs (anemia, urinary
infections, diarrhea, malnutrition)
Is this a physical or behavioral indicator of physical neglect? - ANSWER-Physical
Begging, stealing food
