Community Involvement in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (From Perspectives on Child Maltreatment in the Mid '80s, P 10-14, 1984 - See NCJ-105544)

• NCJ Number: 105545
• Author(s): P Coolsen; J Wechsler
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 5 pages
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Effective prevention of child abuse and neglect requires the cooperation of citizens and a broad range of community institutions in promoting health among all families (primary prevention), providing support services for families at risk of child abuse and neglect (secondary prevention), and treating families after child abuse and neglect has occurred (tertiary prevention).

Abstract

In primary prevention, citizen volunteers and community institutions must educate parents about child development and effective parenting and provide opportunities for parent-child bonding, the relief of family stress, and access to peer and family support systems as well as social and health services. Community prevention should broaden the traditional service model to involve hospitals and health care facilities, social service agencies, educational institutions, and businesses in innovative prevention efforts. Hospitals could sponsor educational programs for new parents and facilitate child-parent bonding during the mother's hospital stay. Social service agencies could supply family advocacy, self-help groups, and the use of volunteers in family outreach programs. Schools can incorporate information on child development and family life into all levels of the curriculum, and businesses can adopt policies that promote family health among their employees. The strengthening of informal support systems and volunteer activities must be a central thrust of a comprehensive prevention program. 2 footnotes.