CHILD ABUSE.   Term Paper ID:29540 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Magnitude of the problem in Texas.... More...

6 Pages / 1350 Words 11 sources, 22 Citations, APA Format $24.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Magnitude of the problem in Texas. The State's intervention strategies. Texas family code. Large number of alleged cases of child abuse in the USA. Role of Child Protection Agencies in each state. Response to abuse reports. Four types of child mistreatment: physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. Effects of child abuse. Paper Introduction: A Social Work Perspective on Child Abuse: The Case of Texas Definition and Overview of Problem Child abuse is a blanket term for four types of child mistreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect (Baker, 1999). The Child Protective Services Agency in the State of Texas (Legal definitions of…, 2002) defines child abuse as including acts or omissions by any person leading to mental or emotional injury to a child that results in material and observable impairment in the child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. This definition includes recognition of the presence of physical injury, mental or emotional injury, failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent such harm, sexual conduct harmful to the child, compelling a child to participate in sexual conduct or po Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Legal responsibility for child protective services. The effectsof abuse naturally vary according to such factors as the severity of theabuse, its frequency, and the absence or presence of any therapeuticmedical or psychological interventions. Under the Texas Family Code, the CPS is charged with investigating,identifying, and serving (through its own agencies and referrals toexternal service agencies or clinics) victims of child abuse and theirfamily (Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, 2 2). (2 1). Child sexual abuse prevention programs in Texas public elementary schools. Clinical Reference Systems, Annual, 385+.Dible, D.A., & Teske, R.H.C. Some 1.5 percent of the nation'schildren were confirmed victims of child abuse in 1996. Available at www.joinhands.com/victims/texas_child_deaths.html.Perry, A. Journal of Criminal Justice, 21(1), 79-85.Hollandsworth, S. Available at www.tdprs.state.tx.us/Child_protection /About_Child_Abuse/legaldefinitions.asp.Moritz, J. Among the most vulnerable children in the United States in generaland Texas in particular are children whose families live in poverty, whohave few resources, and who are socially isolated (Moritz, 1999). Additionally, the state received$2.3 million for federally funded special projects, staff costs, andpurchased services. Many abused and neglected childrenexperience life-long physical or psychological problems as a consequence oftheir abuse.Magnitude of Problem in Texas According to the Texas Department of Protective and RegulatoryServices (2 1), a total of 274,289 reported cases of alleged child abusewere investigated in the State is fiscal 2 1. More than 1, Americanchildren died from child abuse in 1966 (Baker, 1999).Population Affected Youth under age 18, regardless of their racial/ethnic, socioeconomic,or family constellation, are seen by Baker (1999) as potentially at riskfor victimization via one or more forms of child abuse. Of the111, -plus reports investigated, only 3 , or 1 percent were labeledas "confirmed." There are, according to Severinson (2 ), several problems thatdirectly impact upon the capacity of the Texas CPS to respond to reports ofpotential child abuse and neglect. (2 2). ReferencesBaker, B. Why it's up to you. While child abuseis a problem that cuts across all types of socio-demographic boundaries,Baker (1999) stated that reported cases usually involve poor families withlittle education; young mothers, single-parent families, and parentalalcohol or drug abuse are also common in reported cases. (1993). Available at www.tdprs.state.tx.us/It's_Up_You/1-Why.PRS overview. providing services to children and families in their own homes; . (2 2). Sexualabuse was more likely to be committed by males, whereas females wereresponsible for the majority of neglect cases. (2 ). Available at www.tdprs.state.tx.us /About_PRS/PRS_Overview/.Severinson, J. Baker (1999) stated that physically and sexuallyabused children exhibit varying degrees of physiological damage that isoften (in fact generally) accompanied by corresponding emotional andpsychological effects. Ofthat total in 1998, CPS was able to investigate only 111,147 of the 151,349calls considered significant enough to be labeled potential cases. Journal of School Health, 69(1), 3-7+.Legal definitions of child abuse and neglect. An analysis of the prosecutory effects of a child sexual abuse victim- witness program. Infiscal 2 1, the State spent more than $2 7 million on CPS staffing, almost$5 million on purchased services, $245 million on foster care, and $72million on adoption subsidy payments. These include limited staffing,financial resources, and the requirements of "proof" that abuse or neglecthas taken place. Parents wereabusers in 77 percent of all cases, other relatives in 11 percent. (1999). Caseworkers investigating allegations of abuse andneglect, regardless of their source, must obtain clear evidence that thechild has been damaged in order to proceed.General Intervention Strategies in Texas According to the Texas Department of Protective and RegulatoryServices (2 2), general intervention strategies by the CPS in Texasinclude: intake and investigations of reports of child abuse, familypreservation efforts via supportive services and counseling, intensifiedservices for selected clients, substitute care provision for child abusevictims, family reunification, and adoption or other placement.Additionally, several Texas jurisdictions have created special programs andstaff to work with victims of child sexual abuse; included in this strategyis a victim-witness program that seeks to remove the child or others fromthe dangerous environment andProvide both counseling and/or supportive services along with protectiveservices (Dible & Teske, 1993). Available at www.tasb.org/texas _lonestar/2 /june/lgl_legal1.shtml.Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Edition 1, 672+.Child sexual abuse. Abuse deaths surge in Texas. Abused children can suffer experience sleep and eating disorders anddisturbances, distortions of mood and affect, depression and withdrawalfrom friends and family, delinquency or conduct problems, academicdifficulties or failure, unusual aggressiveness, suicidal behaviors, andother self-destructive behaviors (Child sexual abuse, 2 1). Despite this, Perry (2 2) believes that Texas needsto expand its efforts to prevent child abuse through education and outreachprograms and to increase its services and intervention activities.Numerous community and school-based initiatives have been developed, butthe problem of child abuse and neglect continues to be of greatsignificance in Texas and throughout the United States. providing services to help stabilize runaways and at-risk youth; . These numbers represent the total ofreported cases of possible and confirmed child abuse out of a total childpopulation in Texas of 5,932,271. (1999). (2 2). InTexas, 176 children died from child abuse in 1998; of that number, morethan two-thirds were members of minority groups, nearly tree-fourths wereunder the age of 3, and 36 percent had prior contact with the Texas CPS.Perry (2 2) stated that Texas CPS confirmed that nearly 43, Texaschildren were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2 1, while more than2 , alleged victims were reported to Texas CPS in that same time frame.Effects of Child Abuse Baker (1999) and Lanning, Ballard and Robinson (1999) documented themyriad effects of child abuse on children and their families. (1999). Child abuse. From middleto moderate to severe and potentially as well as actually fatal physicalharm, children who are physically abused or neglected suffer wide ranges ofphysiological abuse. manages community-based programs that prevent delinquency and abuse, offer counseling and support services to parents and their children who are at risk; . Hollandsworth (1999) reported that Texas CPS caseworkers receive morethan 39 , calls each year in which suspected child abuse is reported. The State of Texas CPS also intervenes in cases of suspected andconfirmed child abuse and neglect by: . supports the development of, and modifications to, existing and new programs designed to prevent or reduce poor outcomes for children, youth and their families (PRS overview, 2 2).The Texas CPS maintains a 24-hour child abuse and neglect telephone"hotline" and a statewide staff of more than 6, protective andregulatory service employees in more than 275 offices across the state (PRSoverview, 2 2). This definition includes recognition of thepresence of physical injury, mental or emotional injury, failure to make areasonable effort to prevent such harm, sexual conduct harmful to thechild, compelling a child to participate in sexual conduct or pornographicactivities, and allowing a child to use a controlled substance (Legaldefinitions of..., 2 2). About 1 percent- or as much as 4 percent - of abusive parents were themselves abused aschildren; more than 9 percent of abusing parents have neither psychoticnor criminal personalities (Baker, 1999). When CPS comes calling. The number of children inconfirmed investigations - in which abuse was determined to be taking place- totaled 72,212; some 4 ,466 Texas children under the age of 18 receivedservices as a consequence of abuse. A Social Work Perspective on Child Abuse: The Case of TexasDefinition and Overview of Problem Child abuse is a blanket term for four types of child mistreatment:physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect (Baker, 1999).The Child Protective Services Agency in the State of Texas (Legaldefinitions of..., 2 2) defines child abuse as including acts or omissionsby any person leading to mental or emotional injury to a child that resultsin material and observable impairment in the child's growth, development,or psychological functioning. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. No one knows what could be happening to those kids. (1999). Texas Monthly, 27(4), 114-126.Lanning, B., Ballard, D.J., & Robinson, J.D. Texas Lone Star, 18(5). According to Baker (1999), as of 1996 there were more than 3 millionreports of alleged cases of child abuse received by child protectiveservices (CPS) in the United States. (2 2). Available at www.tdprs.state.tx/us/about _prs.drs_statistics_&mil_reoprt/2 1data/cps_fy 1.pdf. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.