Chapter 19 1. What have been the shifts in services to children over the last few decades?

According to Nigel Parton, in recent years a great deal of emphasis has been placed on the privacy of the family unit, which has greatly influenced on the policy and practice surrounding services provided to children and families. There has been a shift in the focus of childrens protective services from a child-saving approach, where the family situation was assessed and the child was removed if warranted, to an approach that focuses on helping the family meet the demands of raising a child through parental supports and education inherent in the family preservation model. This approach emphasizes a strength-based perspective, which examines the parents potential and the barriers that must be removed in order to promote successful parenting. 2. How must we reframe our current concept of helping? Based on what? According to the text, due to bureaucratic regulations, shrinking resources, and dwindling funds, the ability of CPS to respond to the increasing challenges is often hindered in many ways including: over-inclusion or the number of families that are referred to CPS that shouldnt be, the capacity of CPS to provide services to families exceeds the number of referrals that the agency can address, and under-inclusion meaning that families that would benefit from CPS services are never referred. It was also identified that service orientation is also a problem; it is the mandate of CPS to perform two functions: investigate reported cases of neglect and abuse and to intervene and keep the families together whenever possible. However, parent education classes are not always available to use to meet the second goal. Therefore, because of these sometimes competing goals, CPS is often criticized for being ineffective in whatever role it chooses to take. Finally, service delivery is uneven across communities, especially to minority clients. The text suggest that the current emphasis on strengthening families provides a three-part paradigm for child protection that features more cross-agency service planning to better meet the childs needs, better links to informal helpers such as extended family, churches, and community resources, and the ability to provide differential response by customizing responses to meet a particular families needs and monitor the familys progress. This model offers a community based approach. 3. Although federal reporting laws mandate the provision of protective services, why might problems exist from state to state? According to the text, states have the freedom to interrupt the federal legislation for child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment act as they choose and form their own polices. Initially, states adapted reporting laws in an attempt to demonstrate concern for children. Some states designated more resources and funds for these services than others,

and as a result, states differ significantly in the specificity of their reporting laws and in their commitment to helping the maltreated child. For example, the penalty for not reporting abuse or neglect varies from state to state, an abusive parent may find numerous services in one state and few in another, and depending on the court and community interpretation of penalties, treatment plans for offenders and abusive parents also vary greatly. 4. What is the importance of adequate training? The text explains that one of the concerns of many social workers is that lack of sufficient training. Although some agencies provide worker with initial and periodic training, many feel that on-the-job- training is best. Due to the fact that protective services is a rapidly changes and developing field, periodic training for social workers is also necessary to promote new ideas and skills. By being abreast of advances in the field workers are able to aid clients in new ways. It is also beneficial for workers to have knowledge of cultural differences and difficulties among minority populations. The more staff are able to examine their own values, the more effective they will be with clients. Relationship competencies have been identified as the most crucial competencies including the importance for workers to show respect to others, have effective communication skills, be comfortable with relationships, be nonjudgmental and nonaggressive, and be calm in the face of crisis and client anger. It is identified that there is not adequate interpersonal training offered in worker training. Another important consideration is the support offered to protective workers whose job can be extremely demanding and draining. Communication between and within agencies need to improve in an effort to better serve clients. Advocacy for children is the next step in providing better protective services. 5. What causes family impoverishment? How can the trend be reversed? The impoverishment of families has many contributing factors including the placement of value on material good rather than people, poverty, erotion of neighborhoods, and geographic mobility are also destructive forces to the family. For example, poverty subjects children to a variety of stresses, including parents whose own problems rob them of the ability to be emotionally available for their children. In order to reverse this cycle and resolve these pressing concerns our efforts will need to focus on building a reliable support system within neighborhoods and communities and refocusing on the value of parenting including in the workplace. 6. How can businesses support parenting? According to the text, many companies offer the option of flex-time to employees, allowing parents a flexible start time during an allotted time range, while maintaining full-time hours, in an effort to accommodate for the employees individual family/parenting needs. Other employers offer job sharing, this is where two employees

enter into an agreement to share a full-time position. Each employee works part-time for prorated benefits. Also there has been an increase in support for equal parenting, encouraging fathers to take a more active role in the parenting process and responsibility by allow for paternity leave and flex-time for fathers as well. More recently, some companies have adapted on-site daycare facilities for employees, allowing for parents to make frequent visits to check-in on their children throughout the day. 7. What values espoused by our culture must be changed for us to address the problem of maltreatment? According to the text, our society holds several values that directly support the high prevalence of abuse and neglect. For example, individuals and couples that express that they do not have the desire to become parents are met by parents, relatives, and even friends with disbelief and then with disappointment and often pressure to reconsider. Society should offer support to parents, rather than perpetuate a romanticized idea of parenting. Pressure on individuals to become parents greatly contributes to their potential to be abusive or neglectful. Another contribution to child abuse is our culture affinity for violence. From a young age children watch animated characters on cartoons that feature violent encounters. Children then graduate to TV shows, DVDs, and video games, in which people are killed savagely and with predictable regularity. Many movies feature power and vengeance as major themes. Along with violence, our society uses sex as a form of advertisement, which communicates that sexuality can be used as a form of barter. It is even argued in the text, that until our society change sexual stereotypes, we will continue to perpetuate child abuse. 8. What specific areas should be considered in future research? Research is an important component in the reduction of child abuse and neglect through prevention as well as planning for the future of intervention and treatment. The text suggest that research into the investigative process for cases of child maltreatment including the effect of the size of workers caseload on their ability to complete dispositions, effects of differential response approaches to CPS, whether race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status affect how cases are decided. Another area of research should be prevention, which may help duplicate successful programs and in the creation of others. Research that focuses on the non-abusive family, may help identify what skills parents need to adequately fill their roles, how they effectively cope with the stresses of child rearing, and isolate factors that contribute to a positive family atmosphere in an effort to provide better ways of treatment for abusive families. Cross-cultural research would help to indentify how other societies and cultures define and deal with problems such as child abuse and neglect. Finally, there is a lot to be learned from survivors of abuse and neglect.

Chapter 18 1. What are three prevention measures? Prevention is one way to combat against child abuse and neglect. There are three types of prevention measures listed in the text. Primary prevention is the effort to educate the general population to prevent maltreatment; secondary prevention consists of efforts directed toward high- risk populations; and tertiary prevention is intervention to prevent abuse or neglect from continuing. 2. In what areas should prevention efforts concentrate? Agencies across the nation are committed to efforts that further child abuse prevention. The National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse noted that between the years 1992 and 2000 there was a considerable decrease in the maltreatment of children. The text suggests that this information reflects the heightened awareness of both the public and professionals for the potential for child abuse and the need to intervene. A variety of organizations continue their efforts to work toward the goal of public awareness and education, specific prevention programs, advocacy, research, and evaluation. Prevention has been successful in four areas: in schools, with families, with professionals, and within the community. 3. How can school help in the prevention of child abuse and neglect? The text suggests that child abuse and neglect prevention efforts should begin in the schools. It states that this is where the parents of tomorrow will learn what will be expected of them. The hope is that if children are educated about the skills that abusive parents have never learned, they will have a better chance of becoming healthy adults and concerned parents. The text states that school can aid in child abuse prevention by providing the following: Life skills training such as ways of coping with stress, coping with crisis, effective decision making skills, effective communication and socialization skills, and building positive self-image. Preparation for parenthood such as normal sexual development, childhood development, and effective parenting skills. Self- protection training for teacher and children Educational services for the community including parenting classes etc. Help for at-risk families. 4. What three goals do most school-based prevention programs espouse? The text illustrates that once teachers become comfortable with the educational material related to abuse, they can plan prevention programs for children. Such programs are becoming more prevalent. Basically, the numerous programs now available strive to educate

children about what sexual abuse is, make children more aware of who potential abusers are, and teach children what action to take when someone tries to abuse them. Prevention efforts in classrooms emphasize that children have the right not to be hurt and that if they are being abused, they should tell a trusted adult. 5. How can schools further prevention efforts within the community? Prescriptions for prevention include community awareness. The text indicates how schools can further these efforts through workshops, opening their facilities to self- help groups, and through adult education. Many school prevention programs expand the curriculum to include at least one workshop for the community. This can be done as part of a student and parent training program. In addition to providing training for the community, schools offer support to other prevention programs by allowing the use of their facilities and resources. Self-help groups such as Parents Anonymous and Parents United appreciate the use of meeting rooms. Schools films or books can also be made available for interested groups or individuals. And finally, schools can provide adult education programs for parents. Along with the usual offerings designed to improve skills or introduce new interests, schools might include evening courses in child development, parenting skills, budgeting, stress reduction, and problem-solving skills to help parents expand their capabilities, feel more in control at home, and perhaps be less likely to abuse. In every community, there are families who are potentially abusive or neglectful. Families need to minimize their stresses and strengthen their coping abilities. Schools can offer evening programs for parents who work or for those who need extra relief from child care responsibilities. Late afternoon recreation programs for adolescents might alleviate the stress that is commonly felt before the dinner hour. 6. In what way can families be involved in prevention? The most effective models for parents are parent education programs that focus on improving their coping skills, educating them about child development, facilitating bonding and communication with their children, and increasing their ability to approach helping resources. 7. Why are some parents hesitant to talk to their children about sexual abuse? Some parents do not feel the need or cannot talk to their children about sexual abuse. Some feel they supervise their children sufficiently, and therefore, preparation for the possibility of abuse is unnecessary. Others feel that they do not want to frighten their children needlessly. Yet these parents often alert their children to the possibility of kidnapping, which can be a much more frightening concept for children. Parents often do not feel they have the appropriate vocabulary to talk about sexual abuse. They may be unsure of their own values about sexuality and fear that a discussion of sexual abuse will uncover their ambiguity. For some parents, talking about molestation brings back painful memories of their own abuse or

of other sexual conflicts. For whatever reasons, many parents are hesitant to educate their children on the subject. 8. How can various professionals become involved in prevention efforts? Although much has been done over the last few years to train teachers, physicians, nurses, police, and mental health professionals to recognize and report child abuse, this work is far from being completed. The text illustrates that much of the training has focused on intervention, rather than prevention. Physicians can notice potential for abuse as well as educate parents about child care issues. Police frequently participate in school safety programs and sometimes include information about abuse. Mental health professionals are crucial in uncovering, preventing, and treating abuse. Professionals need to be more aware of the prevalence and prevention of child pornography. Education should center on the statistics, the victims, perpetrator profiles, perpetrator methods of engagement, and the longterm effects on children used in pornography. With greater awareness, professionals can better combat child pornography and other abuse. 9. What should communities be doing in the interest of prevention? The text discusses that children should have the opportunity to grow up in safe communities at least in communities where the incidence of child abuse and neglect is understood and where sincere efforts are made to provide successful intervention, comprehensive treatment, and communitywide prevention. Communities must first be dedicated to educating residents about child maltreatment. This can be accomplished, in part, by the sponsorship of awareness programs out-lining the symptoms of abuse and what can be done about it. Numerous public affairs pamphlets discuss the different types of abuse and neglect. Libraries stock books on the subject for all age groups and, at various times, feature displays to encourage readership. Support given to school- sponsored programs for the community stimulates more community resources. The prevention of child abuse and neglect must be given increased priority in the future. Although efforts in intervention and treatment have had some success, they have only addressed a part of the problem. Effective prevention should mean that fewer children need ever be exposed to the hurt of being abused or neglected. Only a combined and coor-dinated effort can accomplish this goal.