What is Child Abuse in PA? Bodily injury

What is Child Abuse in PA

What is Child Abuse in PA?
Bodily Injury

Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.

Bodily injury = an injury that impairs a child’s physical condition or causes substantial pain.

Take Note: “Recent” is defined as within two years of the date of report filed with the county or Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Take Note: Child abuse and neglect can occur through an action or failure to act.

Other types of abuse…

  1. Sexual Abuse or Exploitation
  2. Serious Mental Injury
  3. Neglect
  4. Per Se (e.g., actions that endanger a child but might not lead to a physical injury)
  5. Harmful exaggeration or misrepresentation of a child’s medical condition
  6. Causing the death of the child
To report suspected child abuse, contact CHILDLINE at