Child Welfare FCSFC 485 Lecture 7 & 8 1

Overview Child Welfare Services Child maltreatment ▫Statistics ▫Risk and Resilience Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974 Child Protection in Indiana Challenges for Policymakers Lecture 7 & 8 2

Child Welfare Services Broad Goals: ▫Protect children from harm ▫Preserve families ▫Promote children’s development ▫Establish permanency planning alternatives Lecture 7 & 8 3

Child Maltreatment at a Glance All 50 states have mandatory laws for reporting suspected child maltreatment Defined at the state level, but based on federal standards ▫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. 4 Types: physical, emotional/psychological, sexual, & neglect Lecture 7 & 8 4

Child Maltreatment in 2010 (DHHS, 2010) 3.3 million referrals affecting 5.9 million children Of the 1,793,724 reports that received an investigation, 436,321 were substantiated; 24,976 were found to be indicated; and 1,262,118 were found to be unsubstantiated 80% of perpetrators are parents (90% were biological) Who reports child abuse? Lecture 7 & 8 5

Child Maltreatment: Risk & Resilience Risk FactorsProtective Factors Child Parent/Family Environmental Child Parent/Family Environmental 6 Lecture 7 & 8

Maltreatment in Relation to Race, Ethnicity, & Income Greater income gaps = greater social problems Considering risk factors for the maltreatment of ethnic minority children (APA Task Force, p. 73) Themes of resilience ▫Identity development ▫Emotional, social, cognitive, & physical development ▫Personal, familial, and contextual factors Lecture 7 & 8 7

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1974 Based on the concept of parens patriae Main contributions: ▫Assistance to states ▫Enhanced government’s role in protecting children ▫Authorized research ▫Provided basic structure of services & service delivery Lecture 7 & 8 8

Basic Structure of Child Welfare System Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) ▫Administration for Children and Families (AFC)  Administration on Children, Youth and Families  The Children’s Bureau ▫Office on Child Abuse & Neglect (just one branch of this Bureau) Lecture 7 & 8 9

CAPTA Allocation of Funding State grants Discretionary activities Community-based grants Children’s Justice Act grants Lecture 7 & 8 10

Show Me The Money! To receive CAPTA funds, states must have in effect a policy or program to address: ▫Investigating allegations of child abuse/ neglect ▫Ensuring child safety & making referrals ▫Legal representation of children ▫Confidentiality of records ▫Training, worker retention, & supervision ▫Citizen review panels ▫Termination of parental rights ▫Criminal background checks Lecture 7 & 8 11

Indiana's Child Protective Services (CPS) protects Indiana's children from further abuse or neglect and prevents, remedies, or assists in solving problems that may result in abuse, neglect, exploitation, or delinquency of children.(24-hour hotline: ) Family Preservation Program Services include: ▫education ▫counseling ▫visitation ▫sexual abuse treatment ▫parent aides ▫homemaker services ▫home-based family services Lecture 7 & 8 12

Indiana CPS Programs & Services Healthy Families Kids First Trust Fund Assisted Guardianship Lecture 7 & 8 13

Current Initiatives & Issues Methamphetamine and child welfare Father involvement initiatives Tribal-state relations Comprehensive family assessment guidelines Systems of Care Lecture 7 & 8 14

Challenges for Policymakers Evidence-based programs Addressing racial/ethnic disparities Support to “graduates” of foster care Coordinating services Lecture 7 & 8 15

Additional Resources Prevent Child Abuse ( Lecture 7 & 8 16

Health and Nutrition Lecture 7 & 8 17