This course provides an examination of child maltreatment from a variety of perspectives, including theoretical, cultural, historical, and legal. It offers definitions of the types of child abuse and neglect, and allows students to reflect on how culture and history play roles in the defining process. Students learn to identify signs and symptoms resulting from maltreatment, and take an in-depth look at how trauma affects all areas of child development. The roles of child protection workers, the complex child protection system, and the legal systems are explained. Students have the opportunity to critically review current research and debate emotionally charged ethical issues. This course challenges students to consider the dynamics that may lead people to harm children and connect the development of prevention strategies to these variables.