What is indicated when credible evidence of abuse exists but has not been satisfactorily refuted?

When credible evidence of abuse exists and has not been satisfactorily refuted, the situation is characterized as "indicated." This term is used within the context of child protection and abuse investigations to denote that there is sufficient evidence to support the claim of abuse, even if the allegations have not been fully proven in a legal sense or have not been rebutted by the accused party.

In practice, an "indicated" finding can lead to further interventions, including potential services for the family, increased monitoring, or even legal actions, depending on the specifics of the case. It acknowledges the importance of credible evidence while simultaneously highlighting that the matter remains unresolved in terms of legal adjudication.

The other choices reflect misunderstandings of the terminology. For instance, discarding the case would contradict the presence of credible evidence; asserting a failure to prove neglect would imply a lack of evidence, which is not the case here; and deeming the evidence unreliable does not fit the context, since the evidence is credible but simply hasn't been fully refuted.