Six-year-old Sara drops her mother's cell phone into the toilet. As a punishment, her mother does not talk to her for three days. This punishment is emotionally abusive and would concern a CPS investigator.

Six-year-old Sara drops her mother's cell phone into the toilet. As a punishment, her mother does not talk to her for three days. This punishment is emotionally abusive and would concern a CPS investigator.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not sure
• D. Not relevant

Answer: (B)

Deliberate social isolation and withholding warmth from a child are forms of emotional maltreatment. When a parent stops talking to a child for several days as a punishment, it undermines the child's sense of safety, attachment, and belonging. In child welfare practice, behaviors that emotionally neglect or harm a child—such as ignoring, shaming, or isolating them from support—are red flags for abuse or neglect. Three days without parental communication is a significant, developmentally impactful pattern for a six-year-old, enough to raise concern and prompt a CPS assessment. That’s why this scenario would be considered emotionally abusive and something a CPS investigator would be concerned about.

Deliberate social isolation and withholding warmth from a child are forms of emotional maltreatment. When a parent stops talking to a child for several days as a punishment, it undermines the child's sense of safety, attachment, and belonging. In child welfare practice, behaviors that emotionally neglect or harm a child—such as ignoring, shaming, or isolating them from support—are red flags for abuse or neglect. Three days without parental communication is a significant, developmentally impactful pattern for a six-year-old, enough to raise concern and prompt a CPS assessment. That’s why this scenario would be considered emotionally abusive and something a CPS investigator would be concerned about.