What is an Unsafe Environment for a Child?


As parents, you do whatever you can to give your children the best lives they could possibly have. This is whether or not you have the means to provide their necessities. However, there are people who feel like their children are burdensome. Some think kids are dead weight to their otherwise fun and single lives. When that happens, the environment in which the child lives may become unsafe for their wellbeing.

Sad as that may be, it has become the reality for most children. When the child’s environment is unsafe, it can be harmful to their physical and mental wellbeing. It can also do serious damage to their physiological health.

Abuse

Parental abuse can come in many forms, but the most usual types are physical, mental, and sexual. Domestic abuse like hitting, kicking, throwing objects, are dangerous. It is physical abuse. Personal attacks, disregard for emotions, and lack of care are mental abuse. While the last form of abuse encompasses all sexual acts that involve or are forced upon the child.

All these forms of abuse can be detrimental to the child’s growth and development. It has legal consequences set forth by the government once proven true.

Neglect

Parents who cannot do even the bare minimum duty to their children like to provide them food, clothes, and a roof over their heads can be reported and investigated for neglect. Additionally, neglect can be categorized into: physical, medical, emotional, and educational.

Failing to provide a child with food, clothing, and shelter constitutes physical neglect, while not prioritizing their health with proper medical and dental care points to medical neglect. A child that is not cared for with even an ounce of love or attention is emotionally neglected, while a child that is not allowed to receive any form of schooling has educational neglect.

Two government organizations are in charge of dealing with cases that involve abuse and neglect – the Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The CPS is one of the five programs that the DFPS manages, and together, they work to protect and save the lives of children stuck in unsafe environments.

As parents, you should always do what’s best for the sake of your children. Look out for their mental and emotional states, provide them with healthy food and clean clothing, put a roof over their heads, and treat them as you would treat yourself. That way, they won’t ever have to be in unsafe environments.

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Mr. Hutton is a Divorce and Custody Lawyer based out of Round Rock, TX. His background is with child psychology at Arizona State University where he received a B.S. in 2006, and he continued this by working with the Children’s Right’s Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law where he received his J.D. in 2009. Throughout his practice, he has been a strong proponent of utilizing modern technology to improve his practice and the representation of his clients. He currently is the technology chair of CAFA of Travis County and is committed to improving and modernizing the practice of law in Texas. If you have any questions you can contact him at timothy.hutton@austintexaslegal.com

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