Child Neglect Research Articles

Young people in honour-based contexts: negotiations and reasoning on the obligation to report concern among school staff in Sweden

ABSTRACT In Sweden, school staff are legally responsible to report concern for a child’s welfare to social services. This obligation can be regarded as a cornerstone of social protection for children exposed to various forms of domestic violence, including honour-based violence (HBV). However, research indicates a tendency to underreport suspicion of child neglect by occupational groups in countries that apply mandatory reporting laws. This article examines the questions; How do school staff reason on their legal responsibilities in relation to reporting children and young people with a migrant background who are exposed to, or suspected victims of, HBV? What specific dilemmas can be identified in such situations? The study is based on qualitative interviews with school staff, particularly school counsellors, and a qualitative thematic analysis has been conducted. The results indicate that HBV is a complex field for professionals to handle and often becomes a subject of negotiation in relation to mandatory reporting. School staff commonly express a lack of trust in the social services’ knowledge or possibility to support children or young people in honour-based contexts. The respondents also reason around the notion that a report might lead to a worsened situation for the young person and increased control from the family. This all together shows an uncertainty or an internal moral conflict on the reporting obligation among school staff.

The experiences of Finnish dental professionals in handling child abuse and neglect issues in their daily work

Objective This study aimed to assess the experiences, attitudes and knowledge of child abuse and neglect (CAN) among dentists, dental hygienists and dental nurses in Finland. Material and methods A web-based CAN survey was sent to 8500 Finnish dental professionals, covering demographic characteristics, dental education, suspicion of CAN, actions taken and reasons for inaction as well as training on CAN issues. The chi-squared (χ2) test was used to analyse associations. Results In total, 1586 questionnaires with valid data were completed. Among respondents, 25.8% had received at least some undergraduate training and 36.3% had received postgraduate training on child maltreatment issues. In addition, 43% of respondents had at least one suspicion of CAN at some point during their career. Of those, 64.3% did not refer to social services. Training positively associated with the identification of CAN and referral frequencies. Uncertainty about an observation (80.1%) and a lack of knowledge regarding procedures (43.9%) were the most frequently reported barriers. Conclusions Finnish dental professionals need more education on child abuse and neglect issues. Competence related to CAN is fundamental to their skills given that all dental professionals regularly work with children and are obligated to report their concerns to proper authorities.

A deeper look at the association between childhood maltreatment and reflective functioning

ABSTRACT Childhood maltreatment is theorized as impeding the development of reflective functioning (RF; ability to perceive and interpret oneself and others in terms of mental states). However, previous research typically failed to support this association or yielded small sized and mixed associations. This study aims to provide a deeper look at the association between childhood maltreatment and RF by characterizing two non-mentalizing categories. One-hundred-and-sixteen pregnant women (mean age = 27.62, SD = 4.52) from the community (48.3% with a university degree, 96.5% in a relationship with the other parent) retrospectively reported on childhood abuse and neglect using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. They also participated in the Adult Attachment Interview subsequently coded using the Reflective Functioning Scale. Participants with poor to low RF were allocated to one of two groups (disavowal-distancing or distorted-inconsistent) using indicators provided in the RF Scale. No association was found between childhood maltreatment and overall RF when controlling for education level. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that childhood maltreatment was strongly predictive of a disrupted, over-analytical and inconsistent reflection about mental states but not of a tendency to discourse little about mental states. This tendency was rather only predicted by education level. Findings suggest that childhood maltreatment would lead to specific impairments in RF and that not considering how individuals fail to mentalize about attachment relationships may mask strong associations between RF and its determinants and correlates, including childhood maltreatment.

Determining the Prevalence of Child Maltreatment Among Young Adults in Saudi Arabia Using ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool.

Background Child maltreatment is an important public health issue, thus determining its prevalence is critical to recognize the extent of the problem and mandate efforts to combat child abuse. We aimed to investigate child maltreatment prevalence among special populations of young adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods We used the retrospective version of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-R). The survey included Saudi students of both genders aged between 18 to 24 years old and attending King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). The questionnaire was provided electronically using Survey Monkey (Momentive Global Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA). Results A total of 713 students completed all sections of the questionnaire.The prevalence of any type of child maltreatment was estimated to be 42%. Physical abuse was the most prevalent (51.1%), followed by emotional abuse (49.9%), lack of protection and safety (38%), and sexual abuse (29.6%). The most common form of physical abuse was being hit or punched at 77.5% followed by 'beaten very hard with an object' at 58.8% while touching was the most common form of sexual abuse at 68.7%, and only 13.7% encountered penetrating form of sexual abuse.In comparison to female victims, male victims were more likely to be physically abused (odds ratio (OR)=1.5; confidence interval (CI)=1.1-2.0). Participants who lived with a single parent were more likely to be victims of a lack of protection and safety than those who lived with both parents (OR=1.9; CI=1.0-3.7). Most participants reported the abuse to occur after the age of nine years, and the perpetrator was the parents in 17.5% of cases. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of child maltreatment among the young adultpopulation in Saudi Arabia. It is vital to obtain more information on the prevalence and risk factors of child maltreatment in various populations and regions of Saudi Arabia to raise awareness and improve services for the victims of abuse.

Vulnerabilities in the face of the health crisis: the impact of COVID-19 on the educational experiences of girls and adolescents in situations of neglect

This article is the result of a research process within the Resistiré project, which evaluates the responses to the COVID crisis in social policy processes in several European countries. This study has taken into account the experience of girls and adolescents in situations of neglect in the circumstances that have surrounded their educational processes and their academic reality in the COVID period. Situations of neglect in childhood are those that affect the normal personal, social and material development of minors, generating situations of high vulnerability that imply the need to activate alternative protection measures that guarantee the subjective right of every child and adolescent. Thought should be given to the special relevance that the health crisis has had on the reality of these girls and adolescents whose legal guardians —affected by particular life situations— have been able to suffer in an aggravated manner in the face of a reality that previously constituted a highly vulnerable situation. The article focuses on the reality of girls and adolescents in the Basque Country (Spain). For this purpose, and through the access to their narratives, the particularity of their vital conditions is identified, showing their high resilient capacity, as well as the difficulties, alternatives and capacities developed to face adversity.

Sibling support exchange in late adulthood moderates the long-term impact of childhood neglect on psychological outcomes

Objectives: Sibling relationships are often the longest-lasting and serve as a source of support and comfort for many older adults. The current study examined the moderating effect of sibling support exchange in the association between childhood maltreatment and mental health outcomes. Method: Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), we analyzed a sample of older adults whose selected sibling was alive across the three data collections (baseline N = 4,041). Longitudinal multilevel regression models were estimated. Results: Key results showed that a history of neglect was associated with decreased psychological well-being, and all three forms of childhood maltreatment were related to increased depressive symptoms. We also found that sibling support exchange mitigated the negative mental health effects of childhood neglect. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that siblings may be uniquely positioned to support older adults who grew up in a neglectful family environment. Older adults may be encouraged to promote resilience by strengthening their sibling relationships.

Expanded Child Tax Credit Payments Linked to Decline in ED Visits for Child Abuse and Neglect

Results have important implications for policymaking.

Dünya Klasiği Masallarındaki Çocuk İstismarı ve İhmali Durumunun İncelenmesi

Dünya klasikleri, yaklaşık iki asırdır dünyanın dört bir yanından çocukların okuduğu, dinlediği, kahramanlarıyla özdeşim kurdukları masallar arasındadır. Bu araştırma Uşak ili İskender Pala İl Halk Kütüphanesi’nden 2021 yılında “okul öncesi dönem” kategorisinde en çok ödünç alınan 15 dünya klasiği masallarındaki çocuk istismarı (fiziksel, cinsel, duygusal) ve ihmali türlerine yer verilme durumunu incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma, nitel desende tasarlanmış, masallar doküman analizi tekniğiyle incelenmiş ve verilerin analizinde betimsel analiz tercih edilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre, masallarda en fazla duygusal istismar ifadelerine (n=60), daha sonra fiziksel istismar ifadelerine (n=19), en az ise duygusal ve fiziksel ihmal ifadelerine (n=5) rastlanmıştır. Masallarda cinsel istismara yönelik herhangi bir bulguya rastlanmamıştır. Araştırmada yer alan masalların bazıları her ne kadar psikolojik danışman onaylı ya da yeniden yorumlanmış olsa da masalların gözden geçirilmesi, çocukların duygusal gelişimine zarar vermeyecek şekilde yeniden düzenlenmesi ve istismar ve ihmal ifadelerinin çıkarılması önerilmektedir.

An Emphatic Perspective: How Do Pre-School and Classroom Teacher Candidates Interpret Child Abuse and Neglect?

This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of teacher candidates regarding child abuse and neglect as well as propose preventive measures. Utilizing a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method, the study focuses on understanding the unique experiences of individuals. The sample was selected through purposive random sampling and homogeneous sampling techniques. Data was gathered from 13 participants, including 7 elementary education candidates and 6 pre-school education candidates, at the Faculty of Education of a public university in Turkey during the 2018-2019 academic year. The participants' work was analyzed using "content and descriptive analysis" methods. The study found that teacher candidates depicted child abuse and neglect as "a distressing situation that makes children unhappy." In their drawings, they predominantly used black to represent abused children, while abusers were symbolized through metaphors such as "dirty, darkened hands." The research demonstrated that the teacher candidates were capable of defining child abuse, understanding its various forms, empathizing with the emotions of abused children, and proposing potential solutions.

Role of Media in Coverage and Reporting of Child Abuse Cases

Child abuse is arguably one of the most debated publics/social policy areas. Thus, the need for systematic data is not only for recognizing child protection issues but also for formulating and implementing policy responses and practices in Pakistan. This study aims to analyze the role of the media in the research and reporting of child abuse cases. The method used in this study is to use media framing theory to conduct quantitative investigations using content analysis. Media coverage of child abuse can help communities understand issues around child abuse and neglect and interact constructively with children's rights. Using media as a reporting, representation, and advocacy tool will increase public knowledge about perpetrators and aid in preventing child abuse. However, there are shortcomings in structures and institutions that can cause children suffering. It needs cooperation from government agencies and civil society to improve child protection from maltreatment and carelessness. Therefore, the role of the media as a component of a more extensive system designed to protect children is crucial. Child sexual abuse can be reduced in the country by enacting strong anti-child sexual abuse laws. By affirming the country's commitment, providing legal protection, increasing public awareness, increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement. With clear laws in place, police and the justice system can act on child sexual abuse cases more quickly and decisively. This can provide a deterrent effect to perpetrators and prevent similar crimes in the future.

Childhood Trauma and Adult Somatic Symptoms.

Childhood trauma is a key public health risk factor for developing physical illness. This study examined how childhood abuse and neglect predict adult somatic symptoms assessed retrospectively and in real-time. Participants in the HowNutsAreTheDutch (HND) project completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form (CTQ-SF) and, to assess somatic symptoms, the cross-sectional Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15; N = 406) or a longitudinal ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol which included responding to an item on physical discomfort 3 times/day for 30 days ( N = 290). As hypothesized, childhood trauma was positively associated with adult somatic symptoms assessed using the PHQ-15 ( d = 0.30) and assessed using the EMA item ( d = 0.31), also after adjustment for age, gender, educational level, and relationship status. Longitudinally, we also explored whether interpersonal context moderated abuse outcomes, and observed that social company dampened momentary physical discomfort among people with a history of more physical neglect ( d = 0.04). Childhood trauma, especially emotional and sexual abuse, predict specific adult somatic symptoms. Future work may examine how symptom expression is influenced by the social lives of traumatized individuals.

Childhood Trauma and Substance Use Treatment Length of Stay and Completion

ABSTRACT Using clinical data mining (CDM) methodology, this study evaluates the relationship between childhood trauma and treatment outcomes among adults with substance use disorders. Data come from three substance use treatment facilities operating under the same agency using the same treatment program (N = 444). We examined the influence of childhood trauma, neglect, and school violence on substance use treatment completion and length of stay. We also looked at the connection between client’s family history of substance use and their experience of neglect and childhood trauma. We found that family history of substance use was significantly related to both neglect and childhood trauma. We also found that the number of weeks a client spent in treatment was associated treatment location. Furthermore, client age at admission and program completion were significantly related. Marital status, sex, and number of diagnoses significantly related to childhood trauma. These findings suggest that comprehensive assessments that focus on understanding client demographics and history of family substance use can guide effective intervention. Further research on how childhood trauma influences substance use treatment outcomes can also help improve treatment.

Dental Students Perception and Knowledge toward Child Abuse and Neglect in Dentistry: A Cross-sectional Study

Dental Students Perception and Knowledge toward Child Abuse and Neglect in Dentistry: A Cross-sectional Study

Protective indigenous collective value of Ubuntu and child neglect: Implications for rural child protection practice

AbstractTheories on collective efficacy and social support suggest that indigenous values that support collective practices and sanction community obligations to childcare would be protective against child neglect. Likewise, new qualitative findings show that collective values are stronger in rural areas than in urban. This study tested the claims that the value of Ubuntu, which is a symbolic cultural value of ‘being for others’, will be protective against the likelihood of neglect; this relationship will be stronger in rural compared with urban communities in Ghana. Using data obtained from a nationally representative sample of 1100 mothers (from 22 communities) in Ghana, we tested the claims using fixed effects logistic regression. The Ubuntu norms were significantly endorsed in rural communities compared with the urban. The overall model showed that higher levels of Ubuntu are associated with lower odds of child neglect (OR .47, [.29, .76] p < 0.05), and the relationship remained significant only in the rural sample (OR .13, [.06, .31] p < 0.001). Similar evidence was recorded for the Ubuntu norms of community care and compassion. The results suggest that child protection in rural Ghana can be fruitful when interventions are developed to boost the value of Ubuntu and the norms of collective childcare.

The Role of Social Institutions in Protection of Children From Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse is an age-old phenomenon, which is confirmed by the data from art, literature, and science from many parts of the world. There are reports on infanticide, mutilation, abandonment and other forms of violence found in many historical records of unkempt, weak, and malnourished children who were left by families to take care of themselves. Those records also make note of charity organisations and groups, as well as others that were involved in ensuring the welfare and providing protection for the children. Social institutions are institutions that ought to be the first link in the chain of providing help and care for children and minors, but at the same time, they are institutions that work on reducing the occurrences of abuse of minors in society in general. Today, there is clear evidence that child abuse is a global problem which comes in different forms and is, unfortunately, deeply-rooted in cultural, economic and social practices. Solving this global problem, however, requires a much better understanding of its occurrences in a range of environments, as well as its causes and effects in said environments. In this paper, by applying the method of quantitative and qualitative content analysis, we will review and analyse concepts of child abuse and neglect, the forms in which they come, as well as analyse the role of social institutions, with a special focus on Centres for Social Work. The creative aim of the paper is to recognise the problem of child neglect and abuse which demands an efficient response by the wider social community.

Gendered Relationships Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Negative Emotional States, and Violent Delinquency.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to a host of negative health and behavioral outcomes, including crime, delinquency, and violence. Recent work on ACEs suggests that the impact of ACEs differs by gender, but research is unclear on the mechanisms of this relationship and how they impact violent delinquency. To explore whether and how the impact of ACEs on violent delinquency varies by gender, this study draws on Broidy and Agnew's gendered expansion of general strain theory (GST), which proposes that a key explanation for the gendered impact of strain on crime lies in gender differences in the negative emotional states that mediate the relationship. Using longitudinal data on a sample of 979 at-risk youth (558 girls and 421 boys) from the Longitudinal Studies on Child Abuse and Neglect, this study examines the impact of ACEs (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, supervisory neglect, parent mental illness, parent intimate partner violence, parent substance use, parent criminality, and family trauma) on violent delinquency by gender with consideration of the three negative emotional states hypothesized by GST-anger, depression, and anxiety. Results indicate that ACEs increase the odds of violent delinquency for both boys and girls, but that this relationship is significantly stronger for boys. Mediation models suggest that anger mediates the link between ACEs and violent delinquency for girls. Implications for research and policy centering on ACEs are discussed.

A Delphi Study to Develop Items for a New Tool for Measuring Child Neglect for Use by Multi-Agency Practitioners in the UK

Social work and allied professions can struggle to accurately assess child neglect. Our research project is developing a new child neglect measurement tool for use by multi-agencies to address this issue. Phase two of this project employed a Delphi study to gather the views of a range of experts to help develop it. There were two important stages to inform the Delphi study: a systematic review of child neglect measures, and three online focus groups with a purposive sample of 16 participants with expertise in child neglect (academics, practitioners, and experts by experience). We then conducted a three-round modified online Delphi study with a purposive sample of 60 international panellists with expertise in child neglect. We followed the CREDES guidelines for the rigorous application of the Delphi technique. The panel generated salient items for the tool and scaled these for importance. The panel reached consensus for 18 items and 15 elements for the tool. The items included neglect type, chronicity, and severity. The elements included hyperlinks to research and the use of 10-point scales. The draft tool is short and may be useable by a range of practitioners in multi-agency settings. It is inclusive of social harms, such as poverty and social isolation. It will now be piloted.

EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF CRIMINALISING MATERNAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SOUTH AFRICA

With alcohol abuse by pregnant women being a significant problem in South Africa, particularly in the rural areas of the Western Cape province, the country carries one of the world’s heaviest burdens of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is regarded as the most severe of the foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. A child affected by FAS may suffer various developmental delays, including behavioural problems, poor language and fine motor skills, overall poor academic performance, mental retardation, and an increased tendency towards aggression and violence. Despite the alarming extent of the problem, maternal substance abuse is not currently a criminal offence in South Africa. This article explores the feasibility of criminalising maternal substance abuse, either by way of an amendment to the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 or by introducing a new statutory offence. As South African children are already afforded protection against abuse and neglect in terms of the Children’s Act, the prosecution of mothers who abuse substances while pregnant and then give birth to children suffering FAS-related harm could potentially also occur within this ambit. This would require an extension to the definitions of abuse and neglect in the Children’s Act and would have no effect on the legal status of a foetus in South Africa. Yet one would face certain challenges associated with the principle of legality: in terms of the ius strictum requirement, for instance, courts are expected to apply a strict rather than a broad interpretation to the definition of a crime. Therefore, if it is not provided for clearly enough in the definition of abuse and neglect, courts may be hesitant to include maternal substance abuse in their understanding of these crimes. Moreover, a strict interpretation of the meaning of “child” in the Children’s Act would exclude a foetus. In addition, a foetus does not possess legal subjectivity under South African law, which means that it generally does not have any legal rights, nor can it be the victim of any crime. Alternatively, the legislature could opt for introducing a new statutory offence to address maternal substance abuse separately. In this regard, criminalising maternal substance abuse as a materially-defined crime would be the best route to follow. This would restrict prosecution to instances where maternal substance abuse does in fact result in FAS-like effects in the child upon birth. In determining the feasibility of criminalising maternal substance abuse in South Africa, the article also takes a comparative look at United States law in this regard, particularly the position in Alabama and South Carolina. Developments in these states do seem to bode well for a decision to criminalise maternal substance abuse in South Africa as well. As shown in Hicks v State of Alabama 2014 153 So.3d 53 and Whitner v State 328 S.C. 1, 492 S.E.2d 777 (1997), maternal substance abusers in the United States may be prosecuted for either a specific statutory offence or general child neglect. However, while the courts in those cases imposed imprisonment, South Africa’s already overcrowded prisons coupled with the predominantly socio-economic causes of maternal substance abuse in the local context would warrant alternative sentencing options. These include referral to a rehabilitation centre or diversion. In addition, the United States courts seem to have accepted the view that foetuses should be afforded the same protection as children. As this would stir up a hornet’s nest in terms of the abortion debate and the legal status of a foetus in South Africa, following the American example in this respect is not recommended. However, this challenge can be overcome by criminalising maternal substance abuse as suggested above, by providing for prosecution only where the affected child is born alive and presents with FAS-like symptoms.

ISLAMIC PARENTING PERSPEKTIF IMAM AL-GHAZALI

This article discusses parenting from the perspective of Al Ghazali, a prominent Muslim scholar. The purpose of this article is to explain the principles emphasized by Al Ghazali in raising children wisely and based on Islamic values. Al Ghazali views the importance of raising children with compassion, wisdom, and religious values. Al Ghazali stressed that children are a gift and a mandate from Allah SWT which must be respected and taken care of properly. One of the principles emphasized is the importance of instilling religious and moral values in children from an early age, including ethics and noble character. In addition, Al Ghazali emphasized the importance of being exemplary in upbringing. Parents must set a good example for their children by showing behavior that is in accordance with religious values and morality. Children tend to imitate what they see from their parents, therefore it is the responsibility of parents to set a good role model in all aspects of life. Good communication between parents and children is also very important. Parents should listen attentively and empathetically and provide needed support and guidance. Good listening helps understand children's feelings and needs and gives them a sense of security and understanding. This article also underscores the importance of avoiding emotional neglect of children. Parents must provide attention, affection, and acknowledgment of their children's feelings and needs. They must be sensitive to children's emotions, provide the necessary emotional support and help them manage their emotions wisely. Ghazali's parenting approach emphasizes the importance of providing holistic education to children. Al Ghazali's perspective on parenting emphasizes the importance of raising children with love, example, good communication, and holistic education. These principles help form children who have noble and quality morals. This article provides valuable insights for parents in carrying out their duties in raising children according to Al Ghazali's perspective.
 

Nursing students'attitudes towardreporting child abuse and neglect: A cross-sectional study in Turkey.

Nurses are uniquely positioned to provide early diagnoses and interventions for abused, neglected, or at-risk children. They are also required, by law, to report suspected child abuse. However, little is known about the attitudes of student and registered nurses in reporting cases of abuse. This study aimed to identify nursing students'attitudes and related factors towardreporting child abuse and neglect in Turkey. This cross-sectional study was carried out with the online participation of 1170 nursing students. The scale for determining the attitudes of health professionals in reporting child abuse (ACAS) was administered together with questions on demographic information. ACAS scores of nursing students towardreporting child abuse were average. Younger age, poor perceived academic success, suspecting of a child abuse and neglect case during clinical practice, and male sex were independently associated with higher ACAS scores. Therefore, education programs for nursing students should focus on improving their attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect.