child abuse & neglect

Child abuse and neglect include acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that result in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.  The five primary forms of maltreatment are physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence.

For a document that outlines definitions of frequently used terms in child abuse and neglect research, see the page with the glossary of social work and child maltreatment related terms.

You can get more information on the signs of child maltreatment from the Family Violence Initiative, operated by the Department of Justice of Canada. You can also contact Kid’s Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 for further information.

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, or are looking for information about services for children or families experiencing difficulties you can contact your local child welfare authority. Click here to find the local child authority agency in your province or territory. Please visit our FAQs section to learn more about child abuse and neglect.

Filter by Publication Date Range
Title Authors Year
From suspicion of physical child abuse to reporting: primary care clinician decision-making

Flaherty, A.G., Sege, R.D., Griffith, J., Price, L.L., Wasserman, R., Slora, E., et al. 

2008
Intervention type matters in primary prevention of abusive head injury: Event history analysis results

Russell, B.S., Trudeau, J., & Britner, P.A. 

2008
Knowledge Transfer and Exchange: Disseminating Canadian Child Maltreatment Surveillance Findings to Decision Makers

Jack, Susan
Tonmyr, Lil

2008
Male Child Sexual Abuse: A Phenomenology of Betrayal

Alaggia, Ramona
Millington, Graeme

2008
Measurement of victimization in adolescence: Development and validation of the childhood experiences of violence questionnaire

Walsh, Christine A.
MacMillan, Harriet
Trocmé, Nico
Jamieson, Ellen
Boyle, Michael H.

2008
Measurement of Victimization in Adolescence: Development and Validation of the Childhood Experiences of Violence Questionnaire

Walsh, Christine A.
MacMillan, Harriet
Trocmé, Nico
Jamieson, Ellen
Boyle, Michael

2008
Meta-analysis of treatment for child sexual behavior problems: Practice elements and outcomes

St. Amand, Annick
Bard, David E.
Silovsky , Jane F.

2008
Ontario incidence studies of reported child abuse and neglect 1998/2003: Outcomes of investigations

Fallon, Barbara
Trocmé, Nico
MacLaurin, Bruce
Black, Tara
Petrowski, Nicole

2008
Patterns of skeletal fractures in child abuse: Systematic review

Kemp, A. M., F. Dunstan, et al. 

2008
Predicting Suicide Attempts in Young Adults with Histories of Childhood Abuse

Brezo, Jelena
Paris, Joel
Vitaro, Frank
Hébert, Martine
Tremblay, Richard E.
Turecki, Gustavo

2008