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Sometimes, it is difficult to draw a line between child abuse and disciplining a child. Other times, it is not as difficult. Luckily, Texas outlines what it considers child abuse and the proper guidelines to report it.
What does Texas Consider Child Abuse?
The Texas Family Code is far from vague on what it defines as child abuse. Chapter 261 of the Family Code lists abuse as:
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mental or emotional injury to a child that results in an observable and material impairment in the child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning;
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causing or permitting the mental or emotional injury;
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actual physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child;
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failure to make reasonable effort to prevent action from another person that causes injury to the child;
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sexual conduct that harms the child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare;
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failure to make reasonable effort to prevent the sexual conduct;
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compelling or encouraging a child to engage in sexual conduct;
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encouraging, permitting, causing, or engaging in photographing, filming, or depicting of a child in obscene or pornographic content;
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harming the child through the use of a controlled substance;
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encouraging a child to use a controlled substance;
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causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a sexual performance by a child;
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allowing the sexual trafficking of a child; or
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neglecting a child.
