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