According to State child protective service (CPS) agencies, more than 1
million children are victims of child abuse and neglect each year. To stem
the rising tide of child maltreatment throughout the United States, many
organizations and government agencies are refocusing their energy on
prevention activities.
Throughout this special bulletin we provide valuable information and
resources to assist you in understanding prevention activities.
What is prevention?
Child abuse and neglect prevention covers a broad spectrum of services
(e.g., public awareness, parent education, home visitation) for audiences
ranging from the general public to individuals who have abused or
neglected a child. Community groups, social services agencies, schools,
and other concerned citizens may provide these services. Typically,
prevention activities attempt to:
Deter predictable problems
Protect existing states of health
Promote desired life objectives (Bloom, 1996).
Prevention efforts are likely to occur before a problem develops so that
the problem itself or some manifestation of the problem can be stopped or
lessened (Willis, Holden, and Rosenberg, 1992).
Specific risk factors found to be associated with child maltreatment
include parental substance abuse, childhood disability, and domestic
violence. To prevent child abuse and neglect, programs may focus on one or
several risk factors, for example:
Substance abuse treatment programs for women with children
Respite care programs for families with children having disabilities
Parent education programs and support groups for families affected by
domestic violence.
Many prevention programs also focus efforts on strengthening child and
family protective factors such as the knowledge and skills children need
to help protect themselves from sexual abuse, the promotion of positive
interactions between children and parents, and the knowledge and skills
parents need to raise healthy, happy children.
