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Educational Resources

Child abuse is pervasive in all communities throughout the United States and in the 40 years since child neglect and abuse become a recognized problem there has been no sustained success in reducing the incidence of child maltreatment.

The strategy for the last 30 years has been to protect children by removing them from their abusers, with supporting public campaigns focused on creating public awareness of the incidence of child abuse. Prevention strategies have focused on identifying parents at risk for maltreating their children and providing home visits or parent education. These efforts have been poorly funded and reach a very small number of families.

Strengthening Families strategies build evidence-based protective factors for children and their families. It focuses on building protection for children within their homes and communities and seeks to overcome or diminish specific causes of child neglects and abuse (parental isolation, lack of knowledge bout child development, and mental, physical or financial crisis in the family) rather than removing the children from their homes.

Factor 1
Parental Resilience

Parental psychology plays an important role in both the causes and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Parents who are emotionally resilient are able to:
a) maintain a positive attitude;
b) creatively solve problems and;
c) effectively rise to challenges in their lives.
They are less likely to abuse or neglect their children.

Parents who have experienced violence or abuse and neglect themselves or who have other risk factors for becoming abusers need caring relationships to help them develop and maintain positive relationships with their children.

Parents who know and trust others are more likely to reveal problems such as domestic violence or feelings of frustration and ask for assistance.

Factor 2
Social Connections

Helping parents build constructive friendships and other positive connections can reduce their isolation, which is a consistent risk factor in child abuse and neglect. Isolation is a particular problem for families in crisis or who need intensive help, such as victims of domestic violence. Building parents’ network of family, friends, neighbors, churches – is important in helping them to identify and solve problems.

Social connections also enable parents to develop and reinforce community norms about behavior that affects everyone. Norms against violence help reduce child abuse and neglect.

Friendships lead to mutual assistance in gaining resources all families need from time to time: transportation, respite child care and other tangible assistance as well as emotional support.

Factor 3
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

Parents who understand normal child development are less likely to be abusive and more likely to nurture their children’s healthy development. Observing other children helps parents understand their own child in context.

Parents often need timely help from someone they trust in resolving specific problems such as biting or hitting without resorting to harsh discipline techniques. Multiple models of positive parenting, including alternative discipline techniques, males in nurturing roles, and a program norm of non-violence demonstrate alternatives for parents.

Parents of children with developmental or behavior problems or special needs need coaching and support in their parenting roles to reduce their frustration and provide the help their children need.

Factor 4
Concrete Support in Times of Need

Child neglect can be a consequence of family crisis, a parental condition, such as substance abuse, or stresses associated with the lack of resources. Connecting parents to resources such as job training, literacy development, language translation, social services, or access to health care help prevent maltreatment.

Factor 5
Social and Emotional Competence of Children

Helping children develop socially and emotionally has impact on the way parents and children interact. For instance, as children learn to verbalize their emotions rather than act them out, they are more able to tell parents how they feel, what they need, and how parental actions make them feel. Parents can then be more responsive to their children’s needs and are less likely to yell or hit.

Children with challenging behaviors are at greater risk for abuse. Identifying and working with children to keep their development on track helps them keep safe. Children who have experienced or witnessed violence in particular need a safe environment, trained staff and opportunities to develop normally.

As researched and evidenced by the Center for the Study of Social Policy and the Doris Duke Foundation

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Gillis is part of Cornerstones of Care, a partnership of agencies providing therapeutic treatment services for children and families.