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Child
Abuse
Child abuse is an social issue that needs to be addressed by an entire
community. It is by being aware of the symptoms and by then knowing
what to do about it that we can reduce the amount of abuse a child is
subjected to endure. In a perfect community child abuse would never
occur, but no community is perfect - however every community should be
mobilized to prevent a child from enduring abuse. We cannot afford to
turn a blind eye.
Credit: national clearinghouse on
child abuse and neglect information, 2004
How Do Communities Respond to Child Fatalities?
- The response to the problem of child
abuse and neglect fatalities is often hampered by inconsistencies,
including:
- Inaccurate reporting of the number
of children who die each year as a result of abuse and neglect.
- Lack of national standards for child
autopsies or death investigations.
- The different roles child protective
services (CPS) agencies in different jurisdictions play in the
investigation process.
- The use in some States of medical
examiners or elected coroners who do not have specific child abuse
and neglect training.
To address some of these
inconsistencies, multidisciplinary/multi-agency child fatality review
teams have emerged to provide a coordinated approach to the
investigation of child deaths. These teams, which now exist at a
State, local, or State/local level in every State and the District of
Columbia, are comprised of prosecutors, coroners or medical examiners,
law enforcement personnel, CPS workers, public health care providers,
and others. Child fatality review teams offer many benefits, including
improved interagency communication, identification of gaps in
community child protection systems, and the development of data
information systems that can guide agency policy and practice
(National Center on Child Fatality
Review, 2003).
The teams review cases of child deaths and facilitate appropriate
follow-up. Follow-up may include ensuring that services are provided
for surviving family members, providing information to assist in the
prosecution of perpetrators, and developing recommendations to improve
child protection and community support systems.
Gateways to Prevention: What Everyone Can
Do to Prevent Child Abuse
Office on Child Abuse and
Neglect, 2003
This fact sheet provides a starting point for community members who
want to establish a child abuse and neglect prevention program. The
steps described here are common to most prevention initiatives.
Because each community is unique, the process will unfold differently
in each. The three main phases of launching a prevention program are
planning, implementation, and continuation.
PHASE ONE: PLANNING
During the planning phase, community members need to take steps to
mobilize support, assess needs, secure funding, and plan for
evaluation.
Mobilizing community support. In some communities, a well-publicized
and tragic incident catalyzes community efforts to prevent child abuse
and neglect. In other communities, an individual or group might build
on a general community awareness and concern to create a formal
prevention program aimed at keeping children safe and families strong.
Potential stakeholders in prevention efforts include educators, law
enforcement officers, health and human services staff, community
leaders (such as presidents of neighborhood associations), clergy and
spiritual leaders, parents, local government personnel, and business
leaders.
Assessing community resources. A community resource assessment gathers
information about community assets as well as gaps in services.
Identified stakeholders help assess the scope and quality of services
by pooling information from their own organizations and agencies as
well as gathering demographic data. Many colleges and universities
provide technical assistance to communities conducting resource
assessments.
Selecting the prevention program design. Prevention programs take many
forms including family resource centers, home visiting programs,
parenting education programs, and public awareness campaigns.
Planners will use the information gathered through the assessment to
design a program appropriate for their community. Whatever design they
select, planners need to ensure that the prevention program reflects
an understanding of, and respect for, cultural norms that influence
child rearing. One way that prevention programs can bridge cultural
gaps is by delivering services and materials in languages other than
English. Draw on a particular cultural community's strengths by
involving members in planning the program. Involve parents in
developing and delivering services as board members, task force
members, and volunteers.
Securing funding. Some communities might have sufficient resources to
launch a prevention program, but many communities will need to secure
funding, possibly from more than one source. The four main sources of
funds for prevention programs are the Federal government, State
governments, foundations, and corporations. Along with start-up funds,
planners must consider how they will fund the program over the long
haul.
Evaluating the program. Planners should build evaluation into the
prevention program and budget. An evaluator should participate in
program
planning and be viewed by the community as an integral part of the
program. Emphasizing evaluation right from the start can help persuade
funding sources to commit financial resources to the program. Again,
many colleges and universities can provide technical assistance in
designing and implementing program evaluations.
PHASE TWO: IMPLEMENTATION
During phase two, the group recruits and trains staff, starts
delivering services, and begins to use feedback to improve service
delivery.
Recruiting and training staff. When recruiting staff, consider an
individual's ability to understand and meet the community's
expectations and to deliver services with cultural sensitivity and
competence. The composition of the staff should mirror the community
being served. Recruiting neighborhood residents as staff will bring
credibility to program efforts. Consider serving as a training ground
for neighborhood residents re-entering the workforce or a field
placement for graduate students in social work and early childhood
education. Remember that an important part of staff training is to
treat community members with respect and dignity.
Ensuring access. Make sure that the program's target audiences have
easy access to services. Locate programs in the community to be
served. Ensuring access to public transportation, providing child
care, and linking the program to established community programs and
institutions increase the likelihood that residents will take part in
the program. Get the word out about the program using materials and
channels familiar to community members-notices in grocery stores,
brochures in medical clinics, and advertisements in church bulletins
and free community papers.
Using feedback to improve services. Build frequent opportunities for
information updates and feedback into the program. Ask for feedback
from community members who come back for services and from those who
don't. Schedule staff retreats to review progress and update strategic
plans. Look at both tangible and intangible results. Celebrate even
the smallest success with the community as a whole.
PHASE THREE: CONTINUATION
For programs to succeed in the long-term in preventing child abuse and
neglect, they must become a permanent part of the community's public
landscape and secure long-term funding. The keys to securing
continuation funding are:
- Start early
- Establish a team that includes
program personnel and community supporters
- Develop a plan that targets sources
and has a step-by-step timeline
- Generate data showing the
effectiveness of the program
- Work at continuation every day.
Program framers must solidify
relationships with funding sources and develop a team of supporters
that are knowledgeable about, and feel a sense of ownership of, the
prevention program. Program staff, board members, volunteers,
consumers, referral sources, and community leaders are all part of the
team that will help embed the program in the community.
Utilization data (e.g., number of participants served, amount of
services offered) are helpful, but outcome data are critical. What
difference does the program make? If this program is not continued,
what will the community lose? What costs, economic and human, will be
incurred? Programs that last are able to show that they work.
What is Child Abuse Prevention?
The goal of child abuse prevention is simple-to stop child abuse and
neglect from happening in the first place, sparing children and
families emotional and physical trauma and decreasing the need for
costly intervention and treatment services.
The best way to prevent child abuse and neglect is to support families
and provide parents with the skills and resources they need.
Why Does Child Abuse Occur?
Although all the causes of child abuse and neglect are not known, a
significant body of research has identified several risk factors and
protective factors associated with child abuse. Studies also have
shown that when there are multiple risk factors present, the risk is
greater. For example, lack of preparation or knowledge of critical
issues surrounding parenting, financial or other environmental
stressors, difficulty in relationships, stress of single parenting,
and depression or other mental health problems can all lead to abusive
or neglectful behavior.
Parents may lack an understanding of their children's developmental
stages and hold unreasonable expectations for their abilities. They
also may be unaware of alternatives to corporal punishment or how to
discipline their children most effectively at each age. Parents also
may lack knowledge of the health, hygiene, and nutritional needs of
their children.
These circumstances, combined with the inherent challenges of raising
children, can result in otherwise well-intentioned parents causing
their children harm or neglecting their needs.
How Is Child Abuse Prevented?
Prevention efforts build on family strengths. Through prevention
activities such as parent education, home visitation, and parent
support groups, many families are able to find the support they need
to stay together and care for their children in their homes and
communities. Prevention efforts help parents develop their parenting
skills, understand the benefits of nonviolent discipline techniques,
and understand and meet their child's emotional, physical, and
developmental needs. Prevention programs also can help parents
identify other needs they may have and offer assistance in getting
that additional support.
For more information, visit
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/topics/prevention/raising/overview/prevention.cfm |
