What constitutes child abuse?

Deliberate harmful actions towards a child's well-being is a clear and direct definition of child abuse. This encompasses any intentional act that causes physical, emotional, or psychological harm to a child. Child abuse is recognized in various forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, with the common denominator being the intention to inflict harm or suffering.

In contrast, the other options describe important aspects of child care and development but do not inherently indicate intent to harm. For instance, failure to provide adequate emotional support and neglecting a child's educational needs can certainly lead to negative outcomes for children but may not necessarily involve deliberate harmful actions. Similarly, poor parenting practices can result in ineffective parenting without the direct intention to harm the child. Thus, these options do not meet the threshold of defining abuse as they lack the crucial element of intentional malice toward a child's well-being.