Iowa Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect

Physical Abuse: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
'Child abuse' or 'abuse' means any nonaccidental physical injury, or injury that is at variance with the history given of it, suffered by a child as the result of acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child.

Neglect: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
The terms 'child abuse' or 'abuse' include:
  • The failure on the part of a person responsible for the care of a child to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, or other care necessary for the child's health and welfare when financially able to do so or when offered financial or other reasonable means to do so
  • The presence of an illegal drug in a child's body as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the acts or omissions of the person responsible for the care of the child
  • That the person responsible for the care of a child has, in the presence of the child, manufactured a dangerous substance or possesses a product containing ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, salts of optical isomers, or pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, with the intent to use the product as a precursor or an intermediary to a dangerous substance
  • Knowingly allowing a person to have custody or control of, or unsupervised access to a child after knowing the person is required to register or is on the sex offender registry


Sexual Abuse/Exploitation: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
The terms 'child abuse' or 'abuse' include:

  • Committing a sexual offense with or to a child
  • Allowing, permitting, or encouraging the child to engage in prostitution
  • Committing acts of bestiality in the presence of a minor by a person who resides in a home with a child, as a result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child
  • Knowingly allowing the child access to obscene material as defined in § 728.1 or has knowingly disseminating or exhibiting such material to the child


Emotional Abuse: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
The terms 'child abuse' or 'abuse' include any mental injury to a child's intellectual or psychological capacity as evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in the child's ability to function within the child's normal range of performance and behavior as the result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child, if the impairment is diagnosed and confirmed by a licensed physician or qualified mental health professional.

Abandonment:
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Standards for Reporting: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.69
A report is required when a person reasonably believes that a child has suffered abuse.

Persons Responsible for the Child: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
'Person responsible for the care of a child' means:

  • A parent, guardian, or foster parent
  • A relative or any other person with whom the child resides who assumes care or supervision of the child, without reference to the length of time or continuity of such residence
  • An employee or agent of a public or private facility providing care for a child
  • Any person providing care for a child but with whom the child does not reside, without reference to the duration of care


Exceptions: Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68
A parent or guardian legitimately practicing religious beliefs who does not provide specified medical treatment for a child for that reason alone shall not be considered to be abusing the child. This provision shall not preclude a court from ordering that medical service be provided to the child when the child's health requires it.