NCJ Number
114322
Date Published
Unknown
Length
120 pages
Annotation
A multidisciplinary committee appointed by the South Carolina Department of Social Services examined child fatalities resulting from parental abuse and neglect, identified problems and issues in the child protective service system's responses to individual cases, and recommended measures by the State child protective services agency.
Abstract
The committee used a combination of case reviews and interviews to gather data on 36 deaths during 1983-85. The committee concluded that half the fatalities could have been prevented, because warning signals existed. The analysis and recommendations focused on reporting, procedures, practice, policy, staffing, training, interagency communication and coordination, resources, legal issues and legislation, and organizational structure. Recommendations included increasing community awareness of indicators of abuse and neglect and reporting procedures, training mandatory reporters, improving communication within and between agencies, changing many procedures to be used by various professionals, adding funding, and amending the State Child Protection Act. Additional recommendations, tables, and instruments, forms, and agency procedure statements are appended.