Final answer:
Child abuse in Iowa requires an act or omission by the person responsible for the child's care, resulting in harm or imminent risk of harm, with a causal relationship between the act/omission and the harm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Child abuse in Iowa requires three things to be present:
- An act or omission by the person responsible for the child's care: This means that the person responsible for the child's care either performs a harmful action towards the child or fails to take necessary action to protect the child.
- Harm or imminent risk of harm to the child: This means that the child has suffered physical or emotional harm, or there is a high likelihood that harm will occur if action is not taken.
- A causal relationship between the act or omission and the harm: This means that there is evidence to show that the harm suffered by the child is directly connected to the actions or lack of action by the person responsible for their care.