Educating on child maltreatment (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Social Issues, 2006
In this closing commentary, we discuss the policy implications of research concerning child maltreatment. We describe the links between the topics reviewed in this special issue and interventions for child victims as well as the state of research concerning consequences of maltreatment more broadly. We further discuss the implications of current research for policy and practice. We close by describing important directions not only for future research, but also for interventions to reduce adverse effects of maltreatment on children. Throughout our commentary, we highlight limitations in the application of empirical findings to actual child victims and we offer concrete suggestions for ways of improving this applicability.
Current research on child maltreatment: Implications for educators
1999
The increasing rate of child abuse and neglect is a special concern for educators who are legally mandated reporters of suspected maltreatment, are often the first to identify and refer children who have been harmed, are in contact with parents and are aware of the family conditions contributing to child maltreatment, and who must often work closely with other professionals in their efforts to support child victims and prevent further abuse. Moreover, children's emotional or behavioral problems, learning disabilities, or other difficulties often reflect broader problems that are associated with abuse or neglect. Consequently, understanding the causes and consequences of child maltreatment, and contemporary child protection efforts, is essential to educators in their efforts to assist victimized children. This article surveys current research on child maltreatment with particular attention to the challenges of child protection, the multidimensionality of child maltreatment (distinguishing physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and psychological maltreatment), and hopeful new avenues for prevention. The implications of this research for educational professionals are emphasized.
Child Maltreatment 2 Recognising and responding to child maltreatment
2009
Professionals in child health, primary care, mental health, schools, social services, and law-enforcement services all contribute to the recognition of and response to child maltreatment. In all sectors, children suspected of being maltreated are under-reported to child-protection agencies. Lack of awareness of the signs of child maltreatment and processes for reporting to child-protection agencies, and a perception that reporting might do more harm than good, are among the reasons for not reporting. Strategies to improve recognition, mainly used in paediatric practice, include training, use of questionnaires for asking children and parents about maltreatment, and evidence-based guidelines for who should be assessed by child-protection specialists. Internationally, studies suggest that policies emphasising substantiation of maltreatment without concomitant attention to welfare needs lead to less service provision for maltreated children than do those in systems for which child maltr...
Child maltreatment as a global phenomenon: From trauma to prevention
International Journal of Psychology, 2013
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Child maltreatment 2002: recognition, reporting and risk
Pediatrics international : official journal of the Japan Pediatric Society, 2002
Child abuse is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the USA and in all other countries which have studied its incidence. It is the second leading cause of death of children in the USA. To decrease the incidence of child abuse and improve the welfare of children there must be international efforts to recognize, and report child abuse and to decrease those risk factors, which place children in jeopardy. In the USA, reports of child maltreatment have decreased each year since 1994 after nearly two decades of increase. The increase was associated with the passage of laws that mandated reporting child maltreatment and increased recognition of maltreatment. Several theories have been proposed to explain the decrease. These include: improved economy with decreased caretaker stress and more vulnerable children in day-care, imprisonment of offenders, treatment of victims to prevent reactive abuse, decreased use of corporal punishment, earlier recognition and reporting, prevention prog...
Child maltreatment: A global issue
Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 2007
C hild abuse, neglect, and trauma are global problems. Abuse has been defined as when "a person willfully or unreasonably does, or causes a child or young person to do, any act that endangers or is likely to endanger the safety of a child or young person or that causes or is likely to cause a child or young person (a) any unnecessary physical pain, suffering or injury; (b) any emotional injury; or (c) any injury to his or her health or development" (Chan, Elliott, Chow, & Thomas, 2002, p. 361). Trauma may involve witnessing domestic parental or community violence or warfare or experiencing severe loss in natural disasters. The United Nations (UN) maintains that violence is one of the most serious problems affecting children today. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 40 million children below the age of 15 experience abuse and neglect requiring health and social care. At any given time, 300,000 child soldiers, some as young as 8 years, are in armed conflicts in more than 30 countries. In Central and Eastern Europe, 1.5 million children live in orphanages that provide minimal care. Two million children are exploited through prostitution and pornography (UNICEF, n.d.). In the United States, reports of child abuse and neglect have been increasing by approximately 10% a year since 1976 (Children's Defense Fund, 1999). Although fewer parents are reporting a belief in the use of corporal punishment, a 1995 survey in the United States showed that 5% of parents admitted to disciplining their child by hitting the child with an object, kicking the child, beating the child, or threatening the child with a knife or gun. Violence can have severe implications for children's development even when it does not lead to obvious physical injury or death. Violence affects children's health, their ability to learn, and even their willingness to go to school. Much violence toward children is hidden. Children may fear reporting the abuse, or both the abuser and child may see nothing wrong with the violence, viewing it as justifiable punishment. Because of concern regarding violence to children, in 2001, the United Nations called for a comprehensive global study of violence against children. A number of children who are seen by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are likely to have experienced some type of abuse, neglect, or trauma for several reasons. One reason that the caseloads of SLPs are likely to have a number of children who have experienced abuse and neglect is because children with disabilities are more likely to be abused than are children without disabilities (Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). A second reason is that children who experience abuse, neglect, or trauma are more likely to develop disabilities that affect their cognitive and language abilities (Coster & Cicchetti, 1993; Osofsky, 1995). Abuse is more common among children who were born premature or of low birth weight, who have had prolonged illnesses, or who have developmental disabilities (Lynch, 1976; Martin, 1976). This increase in abuse of children with disabilities may be related to the increased stress their families experience as a result of the additional and unrelenting needs of these children or adults' lack of understanding of the children's limitations. Sullivan
The Extent and Consequences of Child Maltreatment
The Future of Children, 1998
Specific, accurate understanding of the extent of maltreatment in American society, the nature of the maltreatment that occurs, and the consequences it has for children are crucial to inform policies regarding child protection and to guide the design of prevention and treatment programs. This article examines how child abuse and neglect are defined and discusses the controversies that surround that definition, which attracts attention because it justifies government intervention to stop actions by parents or caregivers that seriously harm children. The article also presents statistics indicating how widespread maltreatment is, reviews research on the characteristics of families that are more prone to abuse or neglect, and summarizes knowledge about the impact of maltreatment on children. Finally, it mentions the efforts of public child protective services agencies to responsibly ration calls on their limited resources by using risk-assessment approaches to target scarce services to the children who need them the most.