NCJ Number
161729
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 20 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1996) Pages: 379- 384
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Current approaches to child welfare and child abuse treatment are examined critically, with emphasis on the need for a new model in child protection based on empathy, trust, and encouragement for those who fail in raising their children instead of the traditional approaches that are based on mandatory reporting, control, judgment, and sanctions.
Abstract
Professional literature takes a judgmental, distant, and indifferent undertone and rarely concentrates on the best ways to support abusive parents. Professional attitudes can only be understood as a protection against being confronted with the feelings of despair, anger, and sorrow that they would not be able to control if put in the same conditions as families where child abuse occurs. Instead of compassion and social solidarity, professionals only offer control and punishment for antisocial behavior. However, they need to understand child abuse as a sociopsychological, cultural, political, and gender problem. Anyone can become a child abuser, depending on the specific relational and societal circumstances in when the person has to live. Therefore, successful treatment of child abuse and neglect should be based on broader conceptual bases. Professionals should conceive services for abusive parents as services they would like to use for themselves. Treatment must begin with a thorough assessment of the child's mental and physical health. Treatment must be based on a clear separation from the judicial system. It should involve high- quality treatment instead of high quality control and more options of support, teamwork training, and time for clients for the fieldworkers instead of scapegoating them and giving them more and more work until they experience burnout. Professionals must consider clients as fellow citizens. Until then, child abuse treatment will remain a fallow field. 26 references