What term refers to any non-accidental injury or harm inflicted on a child by someone responsible for their welfare?

The term that refers to any non-accidental injury or harm inflicted on a child by someone responsible for their welfare is child abuse. This includes various forms of maltreatment, encompassing physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. The defining factor is that the harm is intentional and perpetrated by an adult or caregiver who has a duty to care for the child, thereby violating that duty in a harmful way.

Physical harm specifically denotes injuries such as bruises, fractures, or other ailments resulting from violent actions but does not encompass the broader concept of abuse, which also includes psychological and emotional aspects. Emotional distress refers to psychological harm rather than physical harm, focusing on the emotional impact rather than the physical injury. External injury similarly pertains to visible physical harm but does not capture the entirety of the abusive context in relation to caregiver responsibility. Therefore, child abuse is the most comprehensive term that accurately defines the misconduct of harming a child in a non-accidental manner.