| Child abuse is the physical or | | | | children are at risk of developing a |
| psychological maltreatment of a child, | | | | disorganized attachment. Disorganized |
| often synonymous with the term child | | | | attachment is associated with a number |
| maltreatment or the term child abuse and | | | | of developmental problems, including |
| neglect. Some definitions also include | | | | dissociative symptoms, as well as |
| the abuse of children by other children | | | | anxiety,depressive, and acting-out |
| or by themselves. However, in the United | | | | symptoms. |
| States, abuse of a child by another | | | | Parental choices and other unforeseen |
| child is not reportable as child abuse, | | | | circumstances that place families under |
| except to the extent that it can be | | | | extraordinary stress ?for instance, |
| reported as improper supervision by the | | | | poverty, divorce, sickness, disability, |
| abused child's parents. While most child | | | | lack of parental skills is often |
| abuse happens in the child's home, large | | | | associated to child maltreatment. Many |
| numbers of cases of child abuse have | | | | of these factors may contribute to |
| been identified within some | | | | family stress that can result in child |
| organizations involving children, such | | | | abuse or neglect. Understanding the root |
| as churches, schools, child care | | | | causes of abuse can help better |
| businesses, and in particular native | | | | determine the best methods of prevention |
| residential schools, or in government | | | | and treatment. |
| agencies. | | | | Prevention |
| According to a recent UNICEF report on | | | | Given these possible causes, most |
| child well-being the United States and | | | | professionals agree that there are three |
| the United Kingdom ranked lowest among | | | | levels of prevention services; primary |
| rich nations with respect to the well | | | | prevention, secondary prevention, and |
| being of their children. This study also | | | | tertiary prevention. |
| found that child neglect and child abuse | | | | Primary prevention |
| are far more common in single-parent | | | | Primary prevention consists of |
| families than in families where both | | | | activities that are targeted at the |
| parents are present. | | | | community level. These activities are |
| There are many forms of abuse and | | | | meant to impact families prior to any |
| neglect and many governments have | | | | allegations of abuse and neglect. |
| developed their own legal definition of | | | | Primary prevention services include |
| what constitutes child maltreatment for | | | | public education activities, parent |
| the purposes of removing a child and/or | | | | education classes that are open to |
| prosecuting a criminal charge. In the | | | | anyone in the community, and family |
| United States, the Federal Government | | | | support programs. Primary prevention can |
| puts out a full definition of child | | | | be difficult to measure because you are |
| abuse and neglect and creates a summary | | | | attempting to impact something before it |
| of each State definition. To view, go to | | | | happens, an unknown variable. |
| Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect: | | | | Secondary prevention |
| Summary of State Laws that is part of | | | | Secondary prevention consists of |
| the 2005 State Statute series by the | | | | activities targeted to families that |
| Child Welfare Information Gateway. | | | | have one or more risk factors including |
| The U.S. National Adoption Center found | | | | families with substance abuse, teen |
| that 52% of adoptable children (meaning | | | | parents, parents of special need |
| those children in U.S. foster care) | | | | children, single parents, and low income |
| freed for adoption had symptoms of | | | | families. Secondary prevention services |
| attachment disorder. A study by Dante | | | | include parent education classes |
| Cicchetti found that 80% of abused and | | | | targeted for high risk parents, despite |
| maltreated infants exhibited attachment | | | | care for parents of a child with a |
| disorder symptoms (disorganized | | | | disability, or home visiting programs |
| subtype). | | | | for new parents |
| Children with histories of maltreatment, | | | | Tertiary prevention |
| such as physical and psychological | | | | Tertiary prevention consists of |
| neglect and physical abuse are at risk | | | | activities targeted to families that |
| of developing severe psychiatric | | | | have confirmed or unconfirmed child |
| problems. These children are likely to | | | | abuse and neglect reports. These |
| develop reactive attachment disorder. | | | | families have already demonstrated the |
| These children may be described as | | | | need for intervention,with or without |
| experiencing trauma-attachment problems. | | | | court supervision. Prevention supporters |
| The trauma experienced is the result of | | | | consider 'tertiary prevention' |
| abuse or neglect, inflicted by a primary | | | | synonymous with treatment, and entirely |
| caregiver, which disrupts the normal | | | | different from prevention through family |
| development of secure attachment. Such | | | | support. |