Legal Definitions - cumulatively harmful behavior

Definition: Cumulatively harmful behavior is conduct that could injure another person, especially a child, and if continued for a significant period, will over time cause serious harm to the child. This is different from immediately harmful behavior, which could have caused serious injury to a child but did not result in any injury due to an outside force or a fortuitous event. Seriously harmful behavior is capable of causing serious injury to a child in the person's care, such as physical battering, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and abandonment.

Examples:

• A parent who consistently fails to provide adequate food, clothing, or shelter for their child, leading to malnourishment, illness, or exposure to the elements.
• A caregiver who repeatedly exposes a child to domestic violence, causing emotional trauma and distress.
• A parent who regularly uses drugs or alcohol in the presence of their child, putting the child at risk of harm or neglect.

These examples illustrate how cumulatively harmful behavior can have serious and long-lasting effects on a child's physical, emotional, and mental well-being. While each individual instance of harmful behavior may not seem severe, the cumulative effect over time can be devastating.