Current Event – Child Abuse Prevention in Idaho
On April 9th, 2015, the Boise, Idaho law enforcement agency, students, and social workers joined in alliance with a total of 200 people kicking off the introduction to the Child Abuse Prevention Month on the Capitol steps in Boise. The Nampa Family Justice Center hosted their first annual child abuse prevention march. The march began at the Caldwell police station and proceeded to the courthouse where participants planted a garden of blue pinwheels, which is a symbol of child abuse prevention. Child abuse is a common but serious event throughout state, as it is throughout the United States as well. The event was expressed by many as the hot topic of the year, in which members who participated struggled in raising awareness of this painful subject but was recognized as something that needs to be confronted and discussed to prevent the abuse and neglect of children throughout the state (Smith, D. 2015).
One of the program managers of Idaho’s child welfare services, Marian Woods, said there is good news to share, as research shows it is possible to keep children safe; however, this requires the help of everyone in the community to take part, especially in creating and maintaining social connections or resources available to abused and/or neglected children (Smith, D.).
Woods also stated that another critical factor in the protection of children is the solid support for and in behalf of families during times of stress, including,
The article is stimulating to know that others states take action quickly to shield children from further abuse in their homes. The Indiana's Child Protective Services (CPS), offers a service to prevent out-home placement, and assistance to rejoin children with their families in situations where the children can return home (Indiana, 2015). This service is good, if the parents are able to resume the responsibility of taking care of their children.
Child abuse in America is an ongoing problem and something needs to be done. There are approximately one million children abused annually in the United States. (Table 339) Cases of child abuse and neglect are reported every ten seconds, and researchers believe that there’s three times that amount that goes unnoticed. (Child Abuse: Know the Signs and Stop the Violence Against Children.) Something needs to be done for these children who are too weak and too powerless to help themselves.
Child abuse has been a big issue in the world for a long time. There has not always been child protective services like there is now. Children would be abused and neglected and nothing was being done because it was not being reported. The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was the world’s first organization in the late 1800s which was dedicated totally to child protection (Myers, 2008).
Child abuse is epidemic in many countries as well as the United States. It is estimated that every thirteen seconds a child is abused in some manner: physically, sexually, emotionally or by neglect (Friedman). Each year, there are over 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Child abuse can be reduced with proper education of the parents and with greater public awareness.
Awareness and recognition of child maltreatment issues has had a positive impact upon many families who have benefited from the interventions being offered. In the United States, billions of dollars are
Child abuse is still a significant problem in United States. There are 2.9 million child abuse reports to Child Protective Services in 2005 and 825,000 indicated cases. Child abuse has profound impact on the child’s current and future development. The consequences include health and physical effects, intellectual and cognitive impact, and emotional, psychological and behavioral consequences. To improve parenting practice of first time parents is an important way to address this problem. The rate of child abuse is highest for children between birth and 3 years of age. A new Cognitive Behavioral Parent Training Program for Child Abuse Prevention targeted at first time mothers is formed by absorbing elements from existed parent
Astounding statistics reported by the Children’s Defense Fund, “An estimated 3 to 4 million women in the United States are battered each year by their partners, In homes where domestic violence occurs, children are seriously abused or neglected at a rate 1500% higher than the national average in the general population, Between 2.3 and 10 million children are witnesses to family violence, Based on an estimate of 2 children per household, in 55% of violent homes, at least 3.3 million children in the U.S. are at risk of witnessing domestic violence each year,” (Retrieved, 10/12/2011, http://cdf.childrensdefense.org).
As an undergraduate at SUNY Potsdam, I took various sociology and human services classes. However, I was mostly fascinated by the family violence theme discussing different forms of abuse within the household and how children can become victims of such acts. Eager to expand my horizons, I first decided to become a volunteer in a program called “Adopt-A-Bear Cub, which is an after-school program at Saint-Lawrence Elementary School for children who are at risk. I mentored a second-grade boy from a disadvantaged background and
The National Children 's Alliance reported that the number of unique cases of abused and neglected children in the United States stands at an annual rate of 700,000 and rising (as cited in ?U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,? 2016, p. ii). Sadly, this means that more than 1,900 new children become victims of abuse and neglect with each passing day. Neglect was the type of
For 30 years, advocates, program administrators, and politicians have joined to encourage even more reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Their efforts have been successful, with about three million cases of suspected child abuse having been reported in 1993. Large numbers of endangered children still go unreported, but a serious problem had developed: Upon investigation, as many as 65 percent or the reports now being made are determined to be "unsubstantiated", raising serious civil liberties concerns and placing a huge burden on investigative staffs.
Child abuse is a very sensitive issue that needs to by carefully handled. Child abuse is defined as a no accidental injury or pattern of injures to a child for which there is no reasonable explanation.
Each week Child Protective Services receives more than 50,000 allegations of child abuse. Two-thirds of the allegations have enough evidence to start investigations. The results of these investigations showed 2,450 children are abused everyday (Ianelli, 2006). In 1999, CPS, nearly four, confirmed an estimated 1,401 child abuse and neglect fatalities every day. (Child Abuse Statistics, nd).
Child abuse in the United States is a growing epidemic. Every year the number of reported cases, and missing children go up. This is caused mostly by lack of education about the different types of child abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Communities need to provide more resources to better educate the public about the types of abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Child abuse and neglect can be lessened by more resources, more education and to reach out to others.
According to Pecora, Sanders, Wilson, English, Puckett & Rudlang-Perman (2014), “Every year in the USA, about 695,000 unique children are confirmed as victims of child maltreatment (US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau 2011) (p. 321). Such startling statistics suggest that child abuse is not just a public health issue; it is an epidemic. However, research reveals that prevention is possible through a collaborative effort made by parents, schools, the government, social services, and the
It breaks my heart to know that child abuse has a history and throughout history children have been subjected to extensive physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect. However, doing most of the history of child abuse was accepted and in some cases it was encouraged. As time progressed child abuse has grown to receive more attention and is being recognized as a severe epidemic that has to be stopped. I believe that the views of child abuse has changed over the years for it has left the home from being a private issue to a public issue where different agencies are involved in order to resolve the child abuse and neglect issue. Agencies that take part in investigating and preventing child abuse in today’s time are the Family and Protective Services, SCAN, and several more agencies that are committed to stopping child abuse and