National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect

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The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) is a national center that was established within the Children's Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services, an agency of the Federal government of the United States. It was created by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974.

The 1996 reauthorization of CAPTA, P.L. 104-235, abolished NCCAN. It provided for an Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) to be created within the Children's Bureau instead, to coordinate NCCAN's former functions. [1] Children's Bureau is an administration that supports NCCAN by providing money to fund research, as well as programs or systems that track and record the data on child abuse hoping to cause further prevention. [2] The Children's Bureau headquarters is located in Washington, DC and has been running since 1912. [3]

Today, OCAN supports programs, research, publications, and monitoring systems that strengthen families and help prevent child abuse and neglect. OCAN's funding to states and tribes also provides for child abuse and neglect assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment activities. [2] Even though OCAN and NCCAN focus on America since it is a national center for the U.S., child abuse and neglect happens all over the world. In America alone, it is found that more than 5 children die every single day due to child abuse. [4] Now compare that to the statistic, "In 2017, the WHO estimated that up to 1 billion minors between the ages of 2 and 17 years of age have endured violence either physical, emotional, or sexual." [5] Child abuse doesn't always kill, yet it is causing major, sometimes lifelong effects and trauma on children, no matter what type of abuse occurs.

There is a large variety of what is considered child abuse or neglect. Different types of child abuse include sexual, physical, and psychological. [6] Physical abuse refers to contact made to hurt a child by punching, beating, or anything along the lines of physical contact that results in pain. While sexual abuse may cause pain, it is under its own category described as "the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities which they do not fully comprehend, to which they are unable to give consent, or that violate the social taboos of family roles." [6] Psychological abuse includes verbally bringing down a child through humiliation or using words to threaten/scare a child which can leave everlasting negative effects on a child. [6] Even though neglect is considered abuse, it is different than the others mentioned since those require attention or involvement, even if it is negative, while neglect is the opposite. Neglect is the act of parents or guardians not providing for their children. Examples of neglect, which is actually the most common form of abuse, include not supplying food or clothing, not bringing their child to school or helping with their schoolwork, simply not giving a child enough attention, plus any other ways of not caring to provide a healthy or happy life for the child. [6]

The above types of abuse and neglect effect everyone differently. There are a variety possible outcomes of children who grow up affected by abuse and neglect. Even though some overcome the harsh childhood they faced and move in a more positive direction, there are statistics that show otherwise for the others who sadly fall into the negative consequences of dealing with child abuse and neglect. According to The American Society for the Positive Care of Children, "In at least one study, about 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder." [7] Clearly, an extremely large amount of child abuse victims still face issues from it even once they are no longer children. Sadly, these psychological disorders that are caused from being abused as a child cause the cycle to never end. 30% of people who were abused, will become abusers or neglecters themselves to own children in the future. [7]

During April 24-26th 2019, the 21st National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect was held in order to come forward with new findings on the subject and provide better understanding on the issue to people who are affected or want to help with the abuse and neglect that occurs. The main ideas to get across, through this event, are the approaches and strategies being used, the policies that stand, what practices are being exercised, and what other programs are doing to support the center. [8] "The conference is designed to address the complex, multi-faceted issues of preventing child maltreatment, promoting the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families and supporting at-risk families. The National Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect is the only federally-sponsored national conference devoted to the issues of preventing child maltreatment." [9]

The number one goal of The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect is prevention. In order to achieve that goal, awareness of the issue must be brought to peoples attention through powerful presentations, workshops that provide information on the matter, active seminars, and other types of sessions that bring forward knowledge on child abuse and neglect. [8] In just the United States, alone, 6.6 million children have been referred to agencies for child protection after a report of child abuse and neglect had been reported. [10] The center is national, focusing on America, itself, yet child abuse and neglect happens everyday, everywhere.

Related Research Articles

Violence is the use of physical force to cause harm to people, animals, or property, such as pain, injury, death, damage, or destruction. Some definitions are somewhat broader, such as the World Health Organization's definition of violence as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation."

Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other types of aggression. To these descriptions, one can also add the Kantian notion of the wrongness of using another human being as means to an end rather than as ends in themselves. Some sources describe abuse as "socially constructed", which means there may be more or less recognition of the suffering of a victim at different times and societies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical abuse</span> Medical condition

Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury, trauma, bodily harm or other physical suffering to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. Physical abuse is a type of abuse that involves physical violence, such as hitting, kicking, pushing, biting, choking, throwing objects, and using weapons. Physical abuse also includes using restraints or confinement, such as tying someone up, locking them in a room, or restraining them with drugs or alcohol. Physical abuse can also include withholding basic needs, such as food, clothing, or medical care. In addition to the physical injuries caused by physical abuse, it can also lead to psychological trauma, such as fear, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Physical abuse can occur in any relationship, including those between family members, partners, and caregivers. It can also occur in institutional settings, such as nursing homes, schools, and prisons. Physical abuse can have long-term physical, psychological, and social consequences, and can even be fatal.

Psychological abuse, often called emotional abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

A form of child abuse, child neglect is an act of caregivers that results in depriving a child of their basic needs, such as the failure to provide adequate supervision, health care, clothing, or housing, as well as other physical, emotional, social, educational, and safety needs. All societies have established that there are necessary behaviours a caregiver must provide for a child to develop physically, socially, and emotionally. Causes of neglect may result from several parenting problems including mental disorders, unplanned pregnancy, substance use disorder, unemployment, over employment, domestic violence, and, in special cases, poverty.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is headed by the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Children and Families. It has a $49 billion budget for 60 programs that target children, youth and families. These programs include assistance with welfare, child support enforcement, adoption assistance, foster care, child care, and child abuse. The agency employs approximately 1,700 staff, including 1,200 federal employees and 500 contractors, where 60% are based in Washington, DC, with the remaining in regional offices located in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Missouri and Seattle.

The United States Children's Bureau is a federal agency organized under the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families. Today, the bureau's operations involve improving child abuse prevention, foster care, and adoption. Historically, its work was much broader, as shown by the 1912 act which created and funded it:

The said bureau shall investigate and report to [the Department of Commerce and Labor] upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of our people, and shall especially investigate the questions of infant mortality, the birth-rate, orphanage, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children, employment, legislation affecting children in the several states and territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child abuse</span> Maltreatment or neglect of a child

Child abuse is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or a caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, or in the organizations, schools, or communities the child interacts with.

Child protection is the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. It involves identifying signs of potential harm, responding to allegations or suspicions of abuse, providing support and services to protect children, and holding those who have harmed them accountable.

In many jurisdictions in the Western world, a mandated reporter is a person who is legally required to report observed or suspected abuse. Specific details vary across jurisdictions—the abuse that must be reported may include neglect, or financial, physical, sexual, or other types of abuse. Mandated reporters may include people working in professions perceived to be likely to expose them to vulnerable people, though it may also include unpaid people who have assumed full or intermittent responsibility for the care of a child, dependent adult, or senior citizen.

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1988 provides financial assistance for demonstration programs for the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect and to establish a National Center on Child Abuse. Additionally, it identifies the federal role in supporting research, evaluation, technical assistance, and data collection activities; establishes the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect; and mandates the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information. It also sets forth a minimum definition of child abuse and neglect.

Child protective services (CPS) is the name of an agency in many states of the United States responsible for providing child protection, which includes responding to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as department of children and family services (DCFS). CPS is also sometimes known by the name of department of social services, though these terms more often have a broader meaning.

Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child, indecent exposure, child grooming, and child sexual exploitation, such as using a child to produce child pornography.

In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness and abuse.

Institutional abuse is the maltreatment of a person from a system of power. This can range from acts similar to home-based child abuse, such as neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and hunger, to the effects of assistance programs working below acceptable service standards, or relying on harsh or unfair ways to modify behavior. Institutional abuse occurs within emergency care facilities such as foster homes, group homes, kinship care homes, and pre-adoptive homes. Children who are placed in this type of out of home care are typically in the custody of the state. The maltreatment is usually caused by an employee of the facility.

Child neglect, often overlooked, is the most common form of child maltreatment. Most perpetrators of child abuse and neglect are the parents themselves. A total of 79.4% of the perpetrators of abused and neglected children are the parents of the victims, and of those 79.4% parents, 61% exclusively neglect their children. The physical, emotional, and cognitive developmental impacts from early childhood neglect can be detrimental, as the effects from the neglect can carry on into adulthood.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway is the congressionally mandated and funded information service of the United States Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, United States Department of Health and Human Services. It was established in 2006 to replace the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. The Child Welfare Information Gateway covers child-welfare topics, including family-centered practice, child abuse and neglect, abuse and neglect prevention, child protection, family preservation and support, foster care, achieving and maintaining permanency, adoption, management of child welfare agencies and related topics such as child and family assessment, laws and policies, statistics and coincident family issues. Its website links to sources of print and electronic publications, websites, databases and online learning tools on these topics.

In many parts of the world, mandated reporters are people who have regular contact with vulnerable people such as children, disabled persons, and senior citizens, and are therefore legally required to ensure a report is made when abuse is observed or suspected. Specific details vary across jurisdictions—the abuse that must be reported may include neglect, or financial, physical, sexual, or other types of abuse. Mandated reporters may include paid or unpaid people who have assumed full or intermittent responsibility for the care of a child, dependent adult, or elder.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, also known as Child Abuse Prevention Month in America, is an annual observance in the United States dedicated to raising awareness and preventing child abuse. April has been designated Child Abuse Prevention Month in the United States since 1983. U.S. President Barack Obama continued that tradition, and in 2016 issued a Presidential proclamation stating: "During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we recommit to giving every child a chance to succeed and to ensuring that every child grows up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment that is free from abuse and neglect."

Barbara L. Bonner is a clinical psychologist and expert on juvenile sex offenders. She is known for her research on the assessment and treatment of abused children, prevention of child fatalities due to neglect, and treatment of children and adolescents with problematic sexual behavior. Bonner is the CMRI/Jean Gumerson Endowed Chair and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She serves as the Director of the Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

References

  1. ↑ "The Children's Bureau legacy: Ensuring the right to childhood" (PDF). Washington, DC: Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2013. p. 194. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  2. 1 2 "Child Abuse & Neglect | Children's Bureau | Administration for Children and Families". Acf.hhs.gov. Retrieved 2014-01-02.
  3. ↑ "United States Children's Bureau", Wikipedia, 2018-11-15, retrieved 2019-04-01
  4. ↑ "PBC 2019: Child abuse on the global level". www.pbc2019.org. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  5. ↑ "Global Child Abuse Statistics". Action Against Abuse. 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Gonzalez, Dulce; McCall, Janelle D. (2019), "Child Abuse and Neglect", StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, PMID   29083602 , retrieved 2019-04-01
  7. 1 2 "Child Abuse Statistics". American SPCC. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  8. 1 2 "NCCAN21 ABOUT". nccan.acf.hhs.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  9. ↑ "21st National Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect". Administration for Children and Families. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  10. ↑ "Child Abuse Statistics". Childhelp. Retrieved 2019-03-20.


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