Chinese parents, particularly immigrants, should keep their children under close care and supervision this month, says the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC)'s Asian Family Services. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the CPC warns that neglect and cultural differences can lead to violations of child-protection laws, resulting in parents and children being forcibly separated.

Neglect is not the same as child abuse, the CPC explains, but the two often have similar consequences. The latter is direct wrongful treatment of children, while the former is failing to provide adequate care and protection.

Immigrant parents should not to make the mistake of neglecting their children, says the CPC. A child who has just moved from China to the United States needs a long time to adjust to changes in schoolwork and language, and during this time they are prone to cutting class. Parents may be too busy making a living to notice their children's truancy, but once the school finds out, the parents still bear responsibility. Therefore, immigrant parents should be diligent about making sure their children attend class.

The CPC points out that those cultural differences may lead the Child Protective Service (CPS) to misconstrue immigrant parents' treatment of their children. For example, one pair of Chinese parents treated their child's fever with a traditional chafing massage on the back and forehead; when school officials saw the red marks lefts by this massage, they reported it to the CPS, which deprived the parents of custody of their child.

Signs that a child has been abused or neglected generally include: poor nutrition; lack of sleep; poor personal hygiene, including failure to bathe, wash hair, or brush teeth and body odor; fear of returning home, strange or antisocial behavior, and cutting class frequently; fear of physical contact, and so forth. Such children may have parents who are alcoholic or drug-addicted and may be victims of domestic violence.

Parents interested in learning more about child-protection laws should call 212-941-0030.