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Child abuse is the physical or psychological maltreatment of a child by an adult, often synonymous with the term child maltreatment or the term child abuse and neglect.

There are many forms of abuse and neglect and many governments have developed their own legal definition of what constitutes child maltreatment for the purposes of removing a child and/or prosecuting a criminal charge. In the United States, the Federal Government puts out a full definition of child abuse and neglect and creates a summary of each State definition. To view, go to Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws that is part of the 2005 State Statute series by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Effects of child abuse on the child and development

The U.S. National Adoption Center found that 52% of adoptable children (meaning those children in U.S. foster care) freed for adoption had symptoms of attachment disorder. A study by Dante Cicchetti found that 80% of abused and maltread infants exhibited attachment disorder symtoms (disorganized subtype). Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

Children with histories of maltreatment, such as physical and psychological neglect and physical abuse are at risk of developing severe psychiatric problems. These children are likely to develop reactive attachment disorder. These children may be described as experiencing trauma-attachment problems. The trauma experienced is the result of abuse or neglect, inflicted by a primary caregiver, which disrupts the normal development of secure attachment. Such children are at risk of developing a disorganized attachment. Disorganized attachment is associated with a number of developmental problems, including dissociative symptoms, as well as anxiety,depressive, and acting-out symptoms.

Causes

Circumstances that place families under extraordinary stress ―for instance, poverty, divorce, sickness, disability, lack of parental skills― sometimes take their toll in child maltreatment. Many of these factors may contribute to family stress that can result in child abuse or neglect. Understanding the root causes of abuse can help better determine the best methods of prevention and treatment. Most parents don't hurt or neglect their children intentionally. Many themselves were abused or neglected.

"Child abuse is a direct result of the divorce revolution and the increase in fatherless homes. Most child abuse takes place in the homes of single parents ..... children are up to 33 times more likely to be abused in a single-parent home than in an intact family ..... The safest place for a child is two-parent home a home with a father in it. Removing the father is what exposes the children to danger .... Yet removing fathers is precisely what family court judges routinely do ironically, often with trumped-up charges of child abuse." Free Congress Foundation: The Truth About Child Abuse

Prevention

Given these possible causes, most professionals agree that there are three levels of prevention services; primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention.

Primary prevention

Primary prevention consists of activities that are targeted at the community level. These activities are meant to impact families prior to any allegations of abuse and neglect. Primary prevention services include public education activities, parent education classes that are open to anyone in the community, and family support programs. Primary prevention can be difficult to measure because you are attempting to impact something before it happens, an unknown variable.

Secondary prevention

Secondary prevention consists of activities targeted to families that have one or more risk factors including families with substance abuse, teen parents, parents of special need children, single parents, and low income families. Secondary prevention services include parent education classes targeted for high risk parents, respite care for parents of a child with a disability, or home visiting programs for new parents.

Tertiary prevention

Tertiary prevention consists of activities targeted to families that have confirmed or unconfirmed child abuse and neglect reports. These families have already demonstrated the need for intervention,with or without court supervision. Prevention supporters consider 'tertiary prevention' synonomous with treatment, and entirely different from prevention through family support.

Treatment

Treatment for those experiencing Complex post-traumatic stress disorder, which is caused by early chronic maltreatment, should address each dimension. Often treatment must be multi-modal. Children who have experienced complex trauma caused by chronic maltreatment can be treated effectively with Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. In addition Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions, education, EMDR and other approaches can be effectively used.

Child Abuse Prevention Organizations

Childhelp USA

Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp USA is one of the largest and oldest national nonprofit organizations dedicated to the prevention of child abuse, neglect as well as to the treatment of its victims in the United States. Childhelp's programs, which directly serve abused children and their families, focus on meeting the children's physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs. In 2005, O'Meara and Fedderson were both nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

ISPCAN (International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect)

The International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, founded in 1977, is the only multidisciplinary international organization that brings together a worldwide cross-section of committed professionals to work towards the prevention and treatment of child abuse, neglect and exploitation globally. www.ispcan.org

Reporting of Child Abuse

Authorities

Depending on the country, the agencies responsible for investigating child abuse may be run nationally, regionally, or locally. These agencies may be called Child Protective Services (CPS), Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), or by other similar names. In the U.S., these agencies are usually listed in the state government section of the telephone book under "Children" or "Health" or "Human Services". In a few instances in the U.S., some of the functions of these agencies are outsourced to private individuals or companies.

People who investigate claims of child abuse may be called a "children's social worker" (CSW) or a case worker.

Reporting abuse and neglect in Ireland

The child protection industry in Ireland is characterised by The Irish Times as follows: "An alarming propensity to finger the fathers of children as sexual abusers without affording them any opportunity to defend themselves.....a veritable industry in psychobabble and mumbo jumbo, in which so-called techniques involving "psychological assessment", dream therapy, guided imagery, figure drawing and the use of anatomically correct dolls are employed to "prove" some of the most serious allegations that can be made against a parent, and to inform some of the most far-reaching decisions concerning the lives of human beings." Irish Times Feb 04, 2002: When reason gives way to psychobabble

Reporting abuse and neglect in Australia

Child abuse and neglect is the subject of mandatory reporting in most Australian jurisdictions. Usually professional people such as doctors, nurses and teachers are bound to report strong evidence of abuse or neglect. State authorities, such as the Child Protection Unit of the Department of Human Services (Victoria), have statutory authority to investigate and deal with child abuse.

A document from Child Protection and Family Services, in Melbourne states: "The service system is facing escalating and changing demand pressures and we are increasingly aware of growing client complexity. Too many children, young people and families are coming back into the child protection system on a repeat basis with services making little impact on their issues. The analysis confirms this and identifies the need for a strategic rethink if we are to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and their families. " Integrated Strategy for Child Protection and Placement Services

Notable incidents of child abuse

• The death of Marcela Hope Yellowbear
• The death of Elisa Izquierdo
• The death of Nixzmary Brown
• The death of Joseph Wallace
• The death of Nadine Lockwood
• The Joel Steinberg Case
• The death of Dennis Jurgens
• The Tulasa Thapa Case
• The death of Justina Morales
• The death of Candace Newmaker
• The David Pelzer Case
• The death of Jeffrey Baldwin
• The murder of Matthew Eappen by Louise Woodward
• The death of Victoria Climbie
• The deaths of Suesan and Sheila Knorr by their mother Theresa Knorr ISBN 0-312-95542-1
• The case of Raymond and Vanessa Jackson
• The death of Sylvia Likens
• The death of Chazarus "Cha Cha" Hill Jr.
• The death of Raijon Daniels
• The deaths of Trayshawn Harris, Taronta Greely Jr., and Joshua Greely

See also

• Attachment disorder
• Adoption
• Attachment theory
• Child Welfare
• Complex post-traumatic stress disorder
• Dissociative identity disorder
• Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
• Emotional dysregulation
• Foster care
• Emotional abuse

References

1. Carlson, V., Cicchetti, D., Barnett, D., & Braunwald, K. (1995). Finding order in disorganization: Lessons from research on maltreated infants’ attachments to their caregivers. In D. Cicchetti & V. Carlson (Eds), Child Maltreatment: Theory and research on the causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect (pp. 135-157). NY: Cambridge University Press.
2. Gauthier, L., Stollak, G., Messe, L., & Arnoff, J. (1996). Recall of childhood neglect and physical abuse as differential predictors of current psychological functioning. Child Abuse and Neglect 20, 549-559
3. Malinosky-Rummell, R. & Hansen, D.J. (1993) Long term consequences of childhood physical abuse. Psychological Bulletin 114, 68-69
4. ^ Lyons-Ruth K. & Jacobvitz, D. (1999) Attachment disorganization: unresolved loss, relational violence and lapses in behavioral and attentional strategies. In J. Cassidy & P. Shaver (Eds.) Handbook of Attachment. (pp. 520-554). NY: Guilford Press
5. Greenberg, M. (1999). Attachment and Psychopathology in Childhood. In J. Cassidy & P. Shaver (Eds.). Handbook of Attachment (pp.469-496). NY: Guilford Press
6. Solomon, J. & George, C. (Eds.) (1999). Attachment Disorganization. NY: Guilford Press
7. Main, M. & Hesse, E. (1990) Parents’ Unresolved Traumatic Experiences are related to infant disorganized attachment status. In M.T. Greenberg, D. Ciccehetti, & E.M. Cummings (Eds), Attachment in the Preschool Years: Theory, Research, and Intervention (pp161-184). Chicago: University of Chicago Press
8. Carlson, E.A. (1988). A prospective longitudinal study of disorganized/disoriented attachment. Child Development 69, 1107-1128
9. Lyons-Ruth, K. (1996). Attachment relationships among children with aggressive behavior problems: The role of disorganized early attachment patterns. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64, 64-73
10. Lyons-Ruth, K., Alpern, L., & Repacholi, B. (1993). Disorganized infant attachment classification and maternal psychosocial problems as predictors of hostile-aggressive behavior in the preschool classroom. Child Development 64, 572-585
11. Becker-Weidman, A., & Shell, D., (Eds.) (2005) Creating Capacity For Attachment, Wood 'N' Barnes, OK. ISBN 1-885473-72-9
12. Becker-Weidman, A., (2006). Treatment for Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. Vol. 13 #1, April 2006.

On the history of child abuse and attempts to protect children, see Linda Gordon, "Heroes of Their Own Lives: The Politics and History of Family Violence," NY, Penguin, 1988, and Champaign, IL., Univ. of Illinois Press, 2003.

External links

• The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study is an ongoing study of the long-term damage abuse during childhood causes to adult health. The study is conducted by Robert F. Anda, MD, MS, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Vincent J. Felitti, MD, of Kaiser Permanente.
• Preventing Child Abuse from The Directory of Children's Issues. Summer 2006.
• Executive Summary of the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (US Department of Health and Human Services)
• The History of Child Abuse from The Journal of Psychohistory 25 (3) Winter 1998
• Child Abuse Types, Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Help
• Child Abuse: Statistics, Research, and Resources
• http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/publications/downloads/childmaltreatmentintheukexecsummary_pdf_gf25453.pdf NSPCC report on child maltreatment in the UK (November 2000)]
• Preventing Child Abuse Internet Safety FAQ
• The Safeguarding Children Partnership, a UK charity dedicated to child protection training.
• http://www.afterfostercare.ca - Canadians affected by foster care helping each other.
• Maltreatment and the Developing Child.
• Child Abuse and the Handicapped Child
• Counseling Abused Children
• Teaching the Abused Migrant Child: What's a Teacher To Do?
• Classroom Strategies for Teaching Migrant Children about Child Abuse
• Therapeutic Child Protection Work
• National Association to Protect Children
• DCFWatch - a non profit organization monitoring civil rights abuses by U.S. Child Protection Agencies
• National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
• 'What to do if You're Worried a Child is Being Abused', leaflet published by the UK Department of Health
• Childhelp USA's National Child Abuse Website
• Stepchildren of the state - A Swedish association for fosterchildren and statehomechildren
• Resources on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence a form of child abuse in many jurisdictions
• Liberated From Abuse Sexual Abuse Education
• Maltreatment and the Developing Child by Dr. Bruce Perry

• Information on the evaluation and treatment of maltreated/abused children.
• Singer, Songwriter, Actor Paul Williams has set up a page with information and links for those who are in abuse relationships or know of someone who may be
• Prevent Child Abuse America
• National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia)

• Child abuse
• Criminology topics