The maltreatment of a child can take many forms and be interpreted differently by different people. The following child maltreatment types are a tool used by the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Child Protection Services to reach decisions regarding reports of suspected child maltreatment. The maltreatment types are not to be considered as absolutes. Every report of child abuse or neglect must be considered individually as none are exactly alike, and there may be extenuating circumstances, which need to be considered. For information to report suspected child abuse and neglect, please visit our Reporting page. Specific information on each type of child maltreatment can be found by selecting the links listed to the left.

Child Sexual Abuse, at the extreme end of the spectrum, includes sexual intercourse and/or its variations. These behaviors may only be the last step in a progressive pattern of sexual abuse. For that reason and because of their effects, exhibitionism, fondling and any other sexual contact with children is also considered sexually abusive. Concern for safety or risk involving sexual abuse could include when a caregiver does not protect a child from being sexually abused by others. Please click on the link for more specific information about child sexual abuse.

Psychological Maltreatment may be defined as the psychological consequences of patterns of behavior by a parent or guardian involving rejecting, isolating, threatening, ignoring, and/or exposing to negative influences, whether through acts of omission or commission. These acts are judged by a mixture of community values and professional expertise to be inappropriate or damaging. Please click on the link for more specific information about child psychological maltreatment.

Physical Abuse exists when a caregiver uses physical force on a child such that injury to the child occurs or could occur. Please click on the link for more specific information about child physical abuse.

Physical Neglect includes, but is not limited to: issues around inadequate supervision, abandonment, environment, nutrition, clothing/hygiene, medical neglect, educational neglect, failure to protect, prenatal exposure to alcohol or controlled substances, and environmental exposure to controlled substances. Please click on the link for more specific information about all these types of child physical neglect.