NASW Practice Snapshot:
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Office of Social Work Specialty Practice

On April 1, President Bush signed a proclamation declaring April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, as he traditionally has done each year, bringing attention to the plight of thousands of children who are abused and neglected each year. The President's statement reads in part, “During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we renew our commitment to preventing child abuse and rededicate ourselves to working together to ensure that all children can have a bright and hopeful future.”

Pointing to parents and family members as “the first and most important influence in a child's life,” the proclamation also cites the responsibility of federal, state, and local government officials to “improve the lives of our young people by doing all they can to keep children safe from harm.” The spirit of the proclamation continues beyond April by reminding the public, social workers, and other professionals about the pressing problem of child maltreatment in the United States.

Experts in child welfare agree that the most effective interventions against child abuse and neglect require individual, community, and systemic action, and must involve local, state, and national efforts. Social workers understand child abuse prevention in a social context that emphasizes family and community strengths, starting with “where the client is. ”

The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) and the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, in partnership with Prevent Child Abuse America, have developed a child abuse prevention community resource packet entitled, “The 2005 Community Resource Packet: Safe Children and Healthy Families Are a Shared Responsibility.” This packet provides numerous ideas, tools, and other resources aimed at preventing or reducing the occurrence of child abuse and neglect.

Some important facts from the Children's Bureau Resource Packet:

• In 2002, 2.6 million reports were made concerning the welfare of approximately 4.5 million children. In approximately two-thirds of these cases, the information provided in the report was sufficient to prompt an assessment or investigation. As a result of these investigations, 896,000 children were found to have been victims of abuse or neglect—an average of more than 2,450 children per day.
• More than half of the victims experienced neglect in which a caretaker failed to provide for the child's basic needs. Fewer victims experienced physical abuse (nearly 20 percent) or sexual abuse (10 percent), though these cases are typically more likely to be publicized. The smallest number (7 percent) were found to be victims of emotional abuse, which includes criticizing, rejecting, or refusing to nurture a child.
• An average of nearly four children die every day as a result of child abuse or neglect (1,400 in 2002).

During the month of April and throughout the year, social workers in child welfare can utilize the following tips that are offered in the toolkit.

Identify risk factors associated with child maltreatment which include:  

• Financial stressors
• Marital stressors or other relationship problems
• Stress associated with single parenting
• Depression or other mental health problems
• Alcohol and other substance abuse problems
• Unreasonable expectations of a child's abilities
• Lack of understanding of a child's developmental stage
• Disregard of personal boundaries

The risk for child maltreatment is greater when multiple risk factors are present. Children with developmental delays or chronic health problems are also at increased risk for child maltreatment.

Utilize effective clinical interventions:

• Practice a strengths-based perspective of intervening with families in crisis
• Educate parents and other caregivers about the risk factors associated with child maltreatment
• Maintain cultural awareness and sensitivity in intervening with children and families
• Integrate the social context of child abuse prevention into training opportunities with colleagues, foster care, or resource families
• Be knowledgeable about protective factors that help children and youth contend more effectively with risk factors and stressful life events such as:

• The role of parents and extended family members in the child's academic and social life
• Community resources such as food and clothing banks, support groups, (e.g. churches, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs), and culturally-competent mental health services
• Opportunities that offer children a chance to participate in engaging, challenging, and interesting activities

Educate the community about child abuse and neglect issues:

• Develop and disseminate fact sheets to parents, community leaders, and school officials describing the prevalence of child maltreatment, risk and protective factors, and mandated reporting laws in your state
• Nurture and maintain positive community relationships and connections
• Write an editorial on child abuse maltreatment and prevention

Advocacy and Policy Interventions

As a member of NASW, we urge you to:

• Learn more about federal policies affecting children and families in your state via NASW's child welfare advocacy Web page, http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/issues/child_welfare.asp
• Send messages to your members of Congress by joining NASW's electronic advocacy network, http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/networknew.asp
• Request meetings with local or state officials to discuss the impact of public policies on practice in child welfare, and to draw attention to the professional training of child welfare social workers
• Become knowledgeable about what your NASW Chapter is doing to combat child abuse and neglect and get involved

Additional Resources

You can get more information about how organizations across the country are observing National Child Abuse Prevention Month as well as program ideas for preventing child abuse and neglect, by going to the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect at http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/topics/prevention/index.cfm

References

Children's Bureau. Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information. The 2005 Community Resource Packet: Safe Children and Healthy Families Are a Shared Responsibility [Online].

Retrieved from http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/topics/prevention/prev_packet_2005.cfm on April 1, 2005.

NASW, April 2005