Running head: PROGRESSIVE BUILD TERM PAPER

Progressive Build Term Paper

Samira Ali
Wayne State University

Professor Lori Klein-Shapiro

Social Welfare and the Social Work Profession: History, Trends and Basic Concepts SW 3710
February 1, 2015

PROGRESSIVE BUILD TERM PAPER

Progressive Build Term Paper

Society is defined as a group of people that follow certain norms and traditions to create a
culture and values. However, many societies are especially diverse. The United States is made up
of many subordinate cultures and several dominant cultures, which exist next to one another
always uneasily, often with minimal social tension, but sometimes with major disruption. Because
cultures are evolving and adapting to each other while competing to maintain dominance in
relation to one another, there exists a state of steady tension and a potential for conflict
(Appleby, Colon, & Hamilton, 2011, p. 17). Although, every society encounters difficulties, trials,
and ordeals where many individuals are left struggling, others bond together in order to shape a
safe and healthy society. However, many tribulations arelleviated by involving social services and
welfare programs and policies. Entities in charge are responsible for creating policies that will
protect those who are unfortunate and hopeless. By law, people with social problems are
supposed to receive assistance based on the social problem(s) they are facing.
Although societies can be similar in terms of their beliefs and norms, they can also be
different in various ways. For instance, while one society might approve of certain actions, norms,
or beliefs, another may condemn and profoundly criticize them. Despite the variation that societies
can have, every society includes members who struggle for various reasons. Some face issues of
poverty, health, violence, or abuse. It is essential that these social groups are protected by the law.
A specific, prominent, social problem is that of child abuse. Child abuse is considered a crime in
which children are istreated, whether physically or mentally, and face many difficulties that affect
their lives in numerous ways. Moreover, those children struggle to make the right decisions, to
differentiate between right and wrong and to choose the right partner in life. These abuses could

PROGRESSIVE BUILD TERM PAPER

also have a great impact on their educational journey and impact their social life as
well.Furthermore, these children may not be able to have friends or develop healthy relationships.
Child abuse is prohibited by law, and policies have been made to protect children and
alleviate those problems. Social and protective services and child welfare programs usually get
involved in child abuse cases and provide children with the assistance required to ensure they live
in a safe atmosphere. The workers major aim is to explore whether or not abuse is occurring,
assess both strengths and risks involved in the family situation, make plans to ensure safety and
minimize future risks, and implement plans to maintain healthier family functioning (Hepworth,
Rooney, Rooney & Stron-Gottfried, 2005, p. 245). Moreover, children who are abused could get
harmed physically, mentally, and emotionally. There are numerous ways in which children could be
abused or especially maltreated. Maltreatment includes physical abuse, inadequate care and
nourishment, deprivation of adequate medical care, insufficient encouragement to attend school
consistently, exploitation by being forced to work too hard or too long, exposure to unwholesome
or demoralizing circumstances, sexual abuse, and psychological abuse and neglect (Hepworth,
Rooney, Rooney & Stron-Gottfried, 2005, p. 238).
Maltreated and neglected children are losing their lives everyday. In Michigan, the number
of child abuse cases has increased between the years 2009 and 2013. According to the statistics
reported by the United States Department of Health and Human services, the number of child
abuse cases has increased by at least three-thousand. Back in 2009, 29,976 cases of abused
victims have been reported while in 2013, this number has increased to almost 34,000 (Child
maltreatment, 2015).

PROGRESSIVE BUILD TERM PAPER

Parents and/or other individuals who are involved in abusing children and violating the law
receive their punishment while children receive the services needed to be safe. Abused children are
assisted and provided with numerous services based on distinct situations. Those services may
include homemaker services, parent-aides, visiting nurses, special school programs, day care,
emergency shelter and foster care, parent education programs, job-seeking and employment
services, crisis nurseries and respite care to provide parents with breaks from child care, adequate
housing, financial assistance, and transportation to and from programs (Hepworth, Rooney,
Rooney & Stron-Gottfried, 2005, p. 250).
Nevertheless, every society experiences both positive and negative outcomes. There are
individuals who have personal problems, and instead of solving them, they become destructive
and abusive towards others. As a result, many children end up dealing with such problems and pay
the price themselves. Children who are impacted by child abuse may also develop their own issues
as they grow up. Therefore, the law protects those children and provides them with the
assistances and services needed to prevent these issues from reoccurring.

PROGRESSIVE BUILD TERM PAPER

5
References

Appleby, G., Colon, E. & Hamilton J. (2011). Diversity, oppression, and social functioning:
Person-in-environment assessment and intervention (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon
Child maltreatment 2013 data tables. (2015, January 15). Retrieved January 29, 2015, from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/child-maltreatment-2013-data-tables
Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D.& Strom-Gottfried, K. (2005). Direct social
work practice: Theory and skills (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks /Cole.