NCJ Number
161298
Date Published
1994
Length
133 pages
Annotation
A 1993 symposium sponsored by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) brought representatives from NCCAN, State and local child protective services agencies, universities, and nonprofit and professional associations together to discuss the current status of theory and practice in prevention and treatment of chronic child neglect, findings from research and demonstration projects, gaps in current knowledge, and program needs.
Abstract
The participants concluded that the best practices for service providers included having a clear sense of identity, purpose, and boundaries; using limited resources effectively; being flexible, valuable, reliable, and nonstigmatizing; and reaching out and nurturing families' capacity to use help. They also agreed that research is needed to develop a model based on the strengths and coping ability of neglectful, impoverished families and that systems should focus on family strengths and needed supports rather than deficits. Among policy and program needs are a common definition of neglect and valid family and child functioning or assessment tools normed on impoverished and culturally diverse families. Panelists differed in their views regarding the role of poverty in child neglect and the inadequacy of current funding for child neglect research and demonstration programs. Chapter reference lists and appended background information and lists of participants and presenters