This Rules/Policy document is provided to you and your organization as a starting point or maturity checkpoint for existing rules/policies. It is brought to you on behalf of Jim McConnell, Principal Owner, and Ask McConnell, LLC — A Converged Security Services Provider. The content is not meant to cover every circumstance, industry, law, regulation, contractual requirement, threat, environment, or risk, but it provides an easy, defendable, highly accountable starting point for any organization. Please consult with your legal counsel and insurance provider about added requirements. If you know of peers that you think would find value in these resources, please have them contact us. These will be updated on our website regularly. We are not legally protecting these documents; we just ask for credit, shout-outs, and referrals if you find them helpful. If you have recommended updates, we are all ears. And if you need Converged Security Consulting and Training, please reach out, we would be honored to serve you and your organization.
Jim McConnell | info@askmcconnell.com | askmcconnell.com
Abuse (Child or Adult) Reporting Policy
Updated: 20 June 2026
Key Definitions:
Child Abuse — Any recent act or failure to act by a parent, family caregiver, or person in a position of trust that results in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development, or dignity.
Adult/Elder Abuse — Any recent act or failure to act by a family member, caregiver, or person in a position of trust that results in actual or potential harm to an (elder) adult’s health, survival, development, or dignity.
Legally and medically, abuse extends far beyond Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) into four primary categories:
- Physical Abuse: Non-accidental physical force that results in injury, pain, or impairment. This includes hitting, kicking, shaking (especially in infants), burning, or restricting access to basic needs like the bathroom.
- Neglect: The failure to provide basic developmental and physical necessities. This encompasses depriving a person of adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision, or necessary medical and mental health care.
- Emotional or Psychological Abuse: A sustained pattern of behavior that impairs a person’s emotional development, sense of self-worth, or psychological well-being. This includes verbal assaults, constant criticism, threats, bullying, humiliation, or exposing a person to severe domestic violence. Can be more significant with people who have developmental or physical impairments.
- Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: Engaging a person in any non-consensual sexual activity, including touching, molestation, grooming, exposure to pornography, or trafficking. It also covers instances where a person is too young or developmentally unprepared to provide legal consent.
Requirements:
- I will report to law enforcement first, then to Corporate Security, Legal, and HR about any red flags or actual observed child, adult, or elder abuse on organization property or at organization activities offsite.
- I will take part in all abuse-awareness training offered by the organization. (I understand I am also encouraged to seek additional awareness training for my personal development.)
- I will make concerted efforts to limit opportunities for vulnerable people to be alone or isolated, or in a position where they cannot communicate concerns.
- I will educate myself on the red flags listed below and report anything that appears to meet these thresholds.
Red Flags:
Physical signs of abuse include:
- Hygiene issues such as a lack of bathing or clean clothes
- Injuries like bruises, welts, sores, or other skin issues that don’t heal
- Medical or dental needs that are not being addressed
- Pain in or around the genital area
Emotional signs of abuse include:
- Fear of one or both parents or caregivers (such as babysitters, daycare workers, teachers, or coaches)
- Fear of a specific activity or place
- Crying often or in situations that seem inappropriate
- Regression — returning to behaviors typical of younger children
Behavioral signs of abuse include:
- Acting differently from other children, especially if the change is sudden
- Becoming withdrawn
- Bullying others their own age or younger, or being bullied themselves
- Having difficulty learning or paying attention
- Avoiding physical contact with adults, older children, or children their own age
- Overachievement or being overly eager to please
- Behaviors or comments that are unusual or sexualized, especially those that seem more mature or pornographic in nature
Related Resources
- Internal Investigation vs. Immediate Reporting comparison
- Security Investigations policy
- Sexual Misconduct Policy
Signature Note: I am a huge fan of wet signatures on these types of documents for accountability and investigation reasons. You can add the signature lines below to each rule/policy document, or have a collective wet signature with references in the Security Commitment Agreement document available on the One-Pager library page. Organizational preference.
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Print Full Legal Name
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(Blue Ink) Full Legal Signature
Style of signature must closely match Driver’s License
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Date
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