awareness from xiaoling's neighbour.

what can be done differently:

xiaoling's neighbour can report suspected child abuse case and ensure professional interventions are in place.

school-parent communication.

what can be done differently:

Teachers or school counsellors may establish collaborative communication with the mother to gain a holistic understanding of the situation, trigger social worker involvement to assess both the child’s safety and the mother’s circumstances, and ensuring regular monitoring /issue protective orders if necessary.

2. The visible wounds were not properly taken care of. No first-aid was given.

3. At the end, based on the video, she seemed to be too fragile to hold the cup. The male adult looked like to give her further physical harm and resulting in the dead body being found in the street.

(Mandy Wong)

She could consider arranging Xiao Ling to governmental / NGO-funded day care.

If she cannot manage to take care of her child, she could also seek help from social service.

(Mandy Wong)

(Mandy Wong)

The lack of finanical resources to access appropriate food can hinder her development, causing deficiency in the development of brain, bonds, muscle, and so on.

Also, the recurrent abuse can cause neurotoxin to hinder normal brain development, which may associated with psychological illnesses.

Then, injuries that caused by physically abuse was not taken care, which can associated with the inflammation in the entire body. Such inflammation effect can influence normal physiological development.

Next, the father smoked in the tiny house, the effect of nicotine can provide damages to Xiao Ling's body.

Such harms can likely be reflected by the failure in holding a cup. That's Xiao Ling's muscles and its coordination are not well-developed, or impaired, in physiological and/or neurological aspects.

Indeed, the recurrent abusive experiences of Xiao Ling are the traumatic events that can increase one's vulnerability to mental illness. The inability to fight-back and escape developed a sense of helplessness. In order to protect oneself mentally, Xiao Ling may unintentionally use dissociation, or it is actually the symptoms fo post-traumatic stress disorder.

Also, such experiences may influence Xiao Ling's establishment of trust, and autonomy, which reflected by the lack of help seeking behavior. At the meantime, Xiao Ling may have self-esteem issue, which may hinder her help seeking behavior. Caregiver's love can foster a sense of worth, while the lack of it can contribute to suicidality of a young child. The lack of help seeking behavior may reflected that Xiao Ling's belief of "I do not worth saving", and "maybe I should die".

Also, a part of Xiao Ling's recurrent abusive experiences is likely caused by indifferent neighborhood. The government should encourage reporting by reconsidering the cost-effect that a person report potential child abuse cases

Also, Xiao Ling's family does not seem to embed the neighborhood, which may contribute to the indifference in neighborhood. Encouragement for reporting from the Gov can be helpful.

2) Mandatory reporting policy, that can increase the reporting of potential child abuse cases.

3) The Gov may need to reconsider how to better protect the victim from the abusers. There are many cases that the abusers kill the victims despite the protection order is released. Imprisonment may not be enough, and mandatory psychological intervention can help to reduce such cases via addressing the underlying factors that fostering abuse.

2. Frequent physical abuses and no proper treatments;

3. No quality afternoon nap (which is needed for growth at the age of Xiao Ling) and sleeping time (stay outside waiting for her mom till evening);

4. No positive habits apparently like personal hygiene (had unpleasant body smells);

5. No physical exercise time for muscle mass development at the stage of growth;

2. Her mom (the sole caregiver) seemed to be having emotional problems and verbally abused Xiao Ling (she spoke inappropriate, crude and negative words to Xiao Ling for venting her anger);

4. Xiao Ling might felt unhappy and fearful, anxious for long time and lacking in initiative and communication skills;

3. Neglectful parenting leaded her to have low self-esteem and be immature and socially incompetent;

4. Showed non-verbal/mutism/numbness in video

2. No caring received from parent, relatives, neighbors and the community groups;

3. Neighbours and strangers were deliberately keeping distance due to the appearance and smells of Xiao Ling;

3. No playtime with peers, no peer friends;

4. No schooling

This video segment portrays the critical role of a mother in early childhood, yet it features a mother incapable of caring for either herself or her child. She failed to provide a safe and nurturing environment for Xiao Ling. Instead of appropriate care, the child endures violence and neglect, resulting in significant physical and psychological trauma. The absence of the father is also notable.

The video did not mention Xiao Ling's father. Xiao Ling's father could visit her regularly to monitor her growing situation and environment.

Xiao Ling's mother could give custody to her father or other eligible relatives or the relevant authority institutions.

Apart from legislation and public education, the government could launch funding and set up working groups of professional social workers to conduct regular, mandatory home visits to identify high-risk families (such as underage parents, households with substance abuse issues, single-parent and impoverished families, etc.) and provide them parenting guidance, assess the home environment, connect families with social resources, and continuously monitor the child's well-being.

It seemed her mother had been dating different men; they are strangers to Xiao Ling. They can persuade Xiao Ling’s mother to take good care of her or report Xiao Ling’s situation to responsible organisations. Unfortunately, no one did something good for Xiao Ling.

In a poor community climate and neighbour connection, people become indifferent towards others in need; neighbours were unwilling to lend a hand to Xiao Ling even though they witnessed her physical wounds.

Xiao Ling’s mother must meet Xiao Ling’s basic needs. She must care about Xiao Ling’s feelings and well-being. Encouraging Xiao Ling to express her needs and feelings is important.

Xiao Ling’s mother should not project her emotional struggles onto Xiao Ling. Instead, she should seek counseling, which would allow both her and Xiao Ling to lead a better life. 

The cashier and neighbors who witnessed Xiaoling being abused should have called the police instead of turning a blind eye.

1. Her mother, who is not capable to take care of Xiao Ling (basic needs such as food, education, proper caring like taking shower)

2. Neighbors: Two of them saw the child sitting on street at night time without saying a word

3. Cashier at convenience store : Obvious scars and bruises on Xiao Ling and the man did not ask and thought about calling the police

What can be done differently

1. Stronger community or government supervision on children's compulsory education

2. Advocate to the public about child abuse prevention

2. If the injuries caused by the beating are not treated, they will cause her skin to ulcerate and even lead to inflammation.

2. She didn’t receive any education and had no way to stay during the daytime.

3. She had no friends of her age and was even shunned by other children.

4. She lacked communication skills and the desire to talk.

5. She had never received love from the society, nor kindness from strangers.

2. Neighbors should call the police when they discovere the scars on her body.

The government should provide physical and mental rehabilitation for these victims of domestic violence.

2. Public sensitivity to domestic violence

People can be made more aware of domestic violence by learning from various media and encouraged to actively report any suspicious situations to the relevant departments.

In this situation, her mother could have put Xiao Ling up for adoption. This way Xiao Ling can get better care and her mother can give up her responsibility

Harm caused: Instead of serving as a safe base, XiaoLing’s mother is the source of danger and neglect. This leads to an inability to form healthy, trusting relationships throughout life. XiaoLing also learned helplessness. She may believes nothing she does can change her situation as she cannot get food, stop the abuse, or make her mother accompany her. This erodes her sense of agency, leading to the passive, hopeless demeanor she displays on the street. Moreover, her constant state of fear and stress makes it impossible to focus on learning and exploration. This can lead to developmental delays in cognition and language, as all her mental resources are dedicated to survival.

Harm caused: Xiao Ling is completely isolated and alienated. The video has no mention of her friends, school, or extracurricular activities. Her unstable home life and likely malnutrition prevent her from participating in the normal social world of children. She has no peers to model behavior for her or to practice socializing with. Moreover, her primary model who is her mother involves transactional sex, instability, and violence. This warps her understanding of love, family, and intimacy, there maybe a tendency for her to build up unhealthy relationships with others in the future. As Xiao Ling lacks caring from her mother, she is constantly wandering on the street. Although some random people observe her wounds, they tend to be bystanders to ignore her situation. Thee community seems to abandon her which creates a deep sense of alienation and rootlessness.

2. Low self esteem

3. unhealthy attachment

Neighbors or others in the community, even strangers passing by, to have relevant people encouraging them to respond with love and intervention.

To change this, we need to build a safety net by helping her forge connections with neighbors, peers, teachers and other crucial parts. Creating these positive mesosystems can help decrease the likelihood of such tragedies.

2. Physical abuse

2. Learned helplessness

3. Not sociable and may not willing to build close connection with others

2. Unable to trust/love others.

2. Parenting - seeking external support from NGO or government for daycare service

·Have no friends of peers

·Indifferent neighbor

·Without the help of the community

·Didn't go to school

If they care about ling together, look after and accompany her instead of merely satisfying their desires and driving her out, ling's situation will improve. 


Mother - Neighbor

If the mother has a good relationship with the neighbors, ask them to help look after ling. When mom goes out to work, ling can stay at her neighbor's house for a while. ling maybe can have hot meals and a place to rest.

- Mother’s anger displacement and neglect
- Abuse from mother’s new partner
- Indifferent convenience store clerk
- Uncaring neighbor
- Robber

actions:

- Mother learns emotional regulation and empathy
- Abusive partner receives punishment or legal sanction

- The kindness and concern of the neighbors

- Interaction between her mother and her partner

- Interaction between her mother and neighbor
- Interaction between the passerby boy and his mother

actions:

- Healthier relationship between mother and partner
- Bystanders and neighbors adopt caring and supportive attitudes

- Mother’s work environment
- Community support system

actions:

- Provide childcare or after-school services in the workplace or community

- Economic conditions affecting family income
- Social policies on child protection and maltreatment

actions:

- Strengthen social welfare and child protection laws

If Xiao Ling's father or grandparents, or other relatives who can provide better support, can get involved in the parenting, it may make a difference.

Shelter and clothes were also unstable in her life.

The physical abuse and neglect from her mother and men seem to be the only constant in her life, leaving her being numb to the maltreatment and physical pain.

Learned helplessness also seems apparent as Xiaoling does not ask people for help or try to scream/run away from imminent danger.

This may have confirmed Xiaoling's mistrust in people and a general helplessness.

The men who were left to care for Xiaoling could have shown sympathy or empathy to Xiaoling and her mother so they are treated in better ways.

The neighbors could have reported the family to the police or social welfare, or provided Xiaoling with temporary care.

-malnutrition due to child neglect (no one provide daily meals for her)

2. Bruise mark with different wounds was noted in the faces and 4 limbs of Xiao Ling. The video also showed that part the part the both her mother and mother's boyfriend would hit her when they felt unhappy.

3. Xiao Ling was being neglected at the street for hours everyday. No one take care of her and provide support and monitoring to her.

2. She was beaten heavily by different people and she didn’t get any treatment for her wounds.

2. She covered her head before her mother beating her, she must have a lot of fears.

2. She didn't get any support from any institutions.

2. Neighbors

3. Her mother’s boyfriends

1. Her mother needs to buy enough food for her and stop beating her.

2. The neighbors should have given her some help. For example, show her some empathy or give her some food or report her case to police or social workers.

3. Her mother’s boyfriend shouldn’t have beaten her and should have buy her some foods.

Maybe her mother is a sexworker or she is just changing boyfriends very quickly. If she has a stable and better intimate relationship, she may don’t need to beat Xiaolin to vent her emotions.

It seems that her mother doesn’t have a well-paid job so that Xiaolin didn’t have enough money to buy food. If her mother has a better job, maybe Xiaolin could be treated better.

2. People are very cold towards children who are abused.

If the society has a better supporting environment for abused children. It seems that people are very scared and didn’t know what to do when they saw an abused child. If they have more knowledge about it and there are supporting systems, when people see an abused child, they may know that they can call the police or other proper institutions to report and ask them to help Xiaolin.

2) Physical abuse by her mother

long-term physical suffer causes trauma to Xiao Ling

-ignored by people at the streets, while there is she has no friends because she has no educational opportunities

2)lack of sense of security to people

-mistrust to people because there is no help offered and even bully Xiao Ling

A safe and nurturing caregivers, such as her grandmother. Or The schoolteacher noticing the absences and bruises and reporting the case to child protection services.

-not being able taught to clean herself and do basic self care, such as tending to wounds or prevention of wounding, puts her more at risk of other diseases. There are several mentions from the passersby saying that she is smelly.

She should be put into primary school or kindergarten with regards to her age, but this extreme negligent and abusive parenting forbid her to go to school. This should be a place where Xiao Ling could have gotten her resources. be given new chances to form friendship with peers and receive support from teachers and mentors. Not able to go to school further impairs her social ability.

Her mother's susceptibility to face violence, not being able to process the hurt or to seek help resulted in more violence towards Xiao Ling. In the movie it is shown that her mother lashed out on her for her own misfortunes with regards to intimate partner violence.

Her mother went to work and left Xiao Ling to her boyfriend without taking in account her daughter's actual needs and her fear towards a stranger grown male figure. She did not care to asses the risks with regards to this measure. The man's tendency to lash out with extreme violence caused Xiao Ling's death.

What could be done differently is to put Xiao Ling back to school and day care, so that her immediate mesosystem expands further to not only encompass her mother and mother's boyfriend. Caring teachers and supporting peers can nourish Xiao Ling's social needs and become her resources in adversity. Also, teachers and caretakers can probably sense the violence going on in Xiao Ling's home and seek appropriate intervention.

-the cashier guy could have sensed a child who is muted, not able to express herself in words, with poor hygiene and probably have visited the store repeatedly. If he is sensitive enough to uncover the abuse behind it, the tragedy could have been alleviated.

-all of the the people who passed by Xiao Ling showed disdain and dread toward her lack of cleanliness. They were indifferent. If their attitude were to be changed, and have enough empathy to investigate in the issue, things will get better.

we can see that the lack of enforcement in legislation to penalize negligent parents who did not follow the law to bring their children into schooling systems, or giving appropriate nutrition and care towards their child, might have been the reason why Xiao Ling passed away.

The broader cultural atmosphere of apathy, the lack of care ethics in the neighbourhood community are systemic factors of oppression that contributed to her death.

Adequate psycho-education and legal action should be given by the institutions to address the urgent problem of child abuse.