Child Abuse Prevention
It is difficult to imagine that any person would intentionally inflict harm on a child. Many times, physical abuse can result when the physical punishment is inappropriate for the child's age, and parents have an unrealistic expectation of their child’s behavior. A parent feeling undue stress may also react inappropriately. Most parents want to be good parents but sometimes lose control. Child abuse can be a symptom that parents are having difficulty coping with other situations, such as those involving finances, work, or housing.
In 2006, 3.3 million referrals, involving more than 6 million children, were made to Child Protective Service (CPS) agencies. More than 55% of these reports were made by professionals such physicians, teachers, and social service workers. (extracted from the National Exchange)
In Tennessee, the Department of Children’s Services responds to over 37,000 reports of child abuse/neglect annually. 41% of the reports involve children under five 36% of the reports involve children age six through eleven 23% of the reports involve children age twelve through seventeen Child abuse and neglect are responsible for more deaths in children (age 4 and younger) than any other single cause of injury or death.
CHILD ABUSE DEFINED Federal legislation provides a foundation for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: * Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or * An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm. This definition of child abuse and neglect refers specifically to parents and other caregivers. A "child" under this definition generally means a person who is under the age of 18 or who is not an emancipated minor. (Child Welfare Information Gateway: http://snurl.com/nb4yz)
In 2007, an estimated 1,760 children nationally (compared to 1,530 children for 2006) died from abuse or neglect. The rate per 100,000 children was 2.35 deaths for 2007 compared to a rate of 2.05 for 2006. More than 40 percent (42.2%) of all fatalities were children younger than 1 year, 16.5 percent were children age 1 year, 10.7 percent were children age 2 years, and 6.3 percent were children age 3 years. Therefore, 75.7 percent were younger than 4 years old. Nearly 13 percent (12.9%) were between the ages of 4 and 7 years, thus indicating that the majority of children who die from child abuse or neglect are young children. (extracted from Dept of Health and Human Services 2007 report)
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION RESOURCE LIST (click on name for website)
Exchange Club Family Centers (Nashville, TN)-their mission is one of promoting healthy, happy families by reducing the occurrence and effects of child abuse and neglect. They offer parenting classes, supervised visitation and safe exchange, in-home family counseling, and parent consultation services. There are currently two Exchange Club Family Centers in the Nashville/Murfreesboro area: 139 Thompson Lane Nashville, TN 37211 (615)333-2644 115 Heritage Park Drive Murfreesboro, TN 37129 (615) 890-4673
Our Kids- The Our Kids mission is to provide expert medical and crisis counseling services for children when there are allegations or concerns of child sexual abuse, to increase community awareness, participate in research and offer education and training about child maltreatment.
Domestic Violence Section of the Metro Nashville Police Department - Call 880-3000 if you need assistance. Phones are manned from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with evening investigators who may be in at other hours. For help, call 862-8600; Call 911 if it is an emergency.
The TN Department of Children's Services responds to over 37,000 reports of child abuse and neglect a year. Every day, more than 100 children are reported abused or neglected in Tennessee. The Child Protective Services division strives to protect children whose lives or health are seriously jeopardized because of abusive acts or negligence. This division also supports the preservation of families.
The Nashville Children's Alliance provides therapy to children and adolescents between the ages of 3 to 17 who have been sexually abused, physically abused, or witnessed a violent crime.
The National Exchange Club (NEC) Foundation is committed to making a difference in the lives of children, families and our communities through our national project, Child Abuse Prevention (also called CAP). The NEC Foundation's most successful method of countering abuse is by working directly with parents through our Parent Aide Model home visitation program. The NEC Foundation coordinates a nationwide network of nearly 100 Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Centers that utilize the Parent Aide Model and provide support to families at-risk for abuse.
Childabuse.com was created to support, inform and encourage those dealing with any aspect of child abuse, in a positive non-threatening environment. Comprehensive resource bringing awareness & education in preventing child abuse.
Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Has the latest on a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption.
Prevent Child Abuse America-the mission of Prevent Child Abuse America is to "prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children" and includes all forms of abuse and neglect, whether physical, sexual, educational, or emotional.
National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect- a resource since 1988, NDACAN promotes scholarly exchange among researchers in the child maltreatment field. NDACAN acquires micro data from leading researchers and national data collection efforts and makes these data sets available to the research community for secondary analysis.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-the Children's Bureau seeks to provide for the safety, permanency and well being of children through leadership, support for necessary services, and productive partnerships with States, Tribes and communities.
Prevention Programs-includes resources on preventing youth violence. Information is provided in three sections: general information; evidenced-based best practices and programs; and tools for taking action.
National Child Welfare Resource Centers National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center
National Strengthening Families and Communities: 2009 Resource Guide National
Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information