| In 1655, in what is now the United | | | | welfare. The study concludes that every |
| States, there were criminal court cases | | | | dollar invested in Child Protective |
| involving child abuse. In 1692, states | | | | Services produces a return of $7.16 Why |
| and municipalities identified care for | | | | Early Intervention? |
| abused and neglected children as the | | | | Popular television accounts relating to |
| responsibility of local government and | | | | CPS include: |
| private institutions. In 1696, England | | | | Frontline: Failure to Protect |
| first used the legal principle of parens | | | | Frontline: Innocence Lost |
| patriae, which gave the royal crown care | | | | Judging Amy (television series) |
| of "charities, infants, idiots, and | | | | Laws & Standards |
| lunatics returned to the chancery." This | | | | Federal |
| principal of parens patriae has been | | | | U.S. federal laws that govern CPS |
| identified as the statutory basis for | | | | agencies include: |
| U.S. governmental intervention in | | | | Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act |
| families' child rearing practices. | | | | (CAPTA) |
| In 1825, states enacted laws giving | | | | Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) |
| social-welfare agencies the right to | | | | Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA) |
| remove neglected children from their | | | | Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) |
| parents and from the streets. These | | | | State & Local |
| children were placed in almshouses, in | | | | Definitions: Each state must also have |
| orphanages and with other families. In | | | | statutes that provide more detailed |
| 1835, the Humane Society founded the | | | | definitions of what child maltreatment |
| National Federation of Child Rescue | | | | means, for instance, defining terms such |
| agencies to investigate child | | | | as: |
| maltreatment. In the late-1800s, private | | | | abuse, which might include: |
| child protection agencies — modeled | | | | physical abuse |
| after existing animal protection | | | | sexual abuse |
| organizations — developed to | | | | emotional abuse (not recognized by all |
| investigate reports of child | | | | states) |
| maltreatment, present cases in court and | | | | neglect, which might include: |
| advocate for child welfare legislation. | | | | lack of supervision |
| In 1912, the federal Children's Bureau | | | | failure to provide necessary medical or |
| was established to manage federal child | | | | remedial care |
| welfare efforts, including services | | | | inappropriate discipline |
| related to child maltreatment. In 1958, | | | | exposure to domestic violence |
| amendments to the Social Security Act | | | | exposure to parental substance abuse |
| mandated that states fund child | | | | alleged perpetrator, which might |
| protection efforts.[5] In 1962, | | | | include: |
| professional and media interest in child | | | | parents |
| maltreatment was sparked by the | | | | other relatives |
| publication of C. Henry Kempe and | | | | other in-home adults |
| associates' "The battered child | | | | guardians, custodians, caregiver |
| syndrome" in JAMA. By the mid-1960s, in | | | | caretaker |
| response to public concern that resulted | | | | daycare staff (not all states) |
| from this article, 49 U.S. states passed | | | | residential treatment (e.g., group home) |
| child-abuse reporting laws.[6] In 1974, | | | | staff (not all states) |
| these efforts by the states culminated | | | | Activities: States must articulate how a |
| in the passage of the federal "Child | | | | CPS agency is to respond to alleged |
| Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act" | | | | maltreatment including: |
| (P.L. 93-247) providing federal funding | | | | timeframes for responding to different |
| for wide-ranging federal and state | | | | levels of child maltreatment |
| child-maltreatment research and services | | | | manner in which reporters are provided |
| The CPS system has numerous detractors, | | | | follow-up information (e.g., case |
| including those who believe that the | | | | disposition letters) |
| state forcibly removing children from | | | | confidentiality restrictions (e.g., |
| their homes and families is the ultimate | | | | which may differ during the |
| dehumanisation. | | | | investigative and case-management |
| "It is unworthy of human dignity to | | | | phases) |
| allow this terrorism and torture of | | | | conflict-of-interest cases (e.g., a CPS |
| families to go on without saying | | | | agency would not investigate a report |
| something, speaking out .... Every | | | | against their own staff) |
| moment these loving parents and children | | | | Additionally, state and local |
| spend separated from one another is a | | | | CPS-related institutions will develop |
| torment beyond what anyone should ever | | | | policies and practices that further |
| have to bear." FightCPS.com | | | | shape communities' response to child |
| Many experts who work in the industry | | | | maltreatment. Examples include: |
| meanwhile believe the government fails | | | | Coordinating efforts between CPS, law |
| to do enough. | | | | enforcement, schools, mental health and |
| Professor Ted Melhuish in his research | | | | other institutions. |
| of December 7, 2006 presents the case | | | | Providing further standards for defining |
| for additional government intervention | | | | maltreatment, such as how does one |
| in terms of "Rates of Return to Human | | | | define "inappropriate discipline." |
| Capital investment." Citing a 1993 study | | | | Maintaining records and/or centralized |
| of 123 young African-Amercian children | | | | databases regarding reports and |
| he finds early intervention ultimately | | | | families. |
| contributes to greater tax revenue and | | | | Appeal processes, if any. |
| also identifies possible cost savings in | | | | CPS-related court processes. |
| the areas justice, mental health and | | | | |