In today’s world, cases of child abuse are on the raising trend globally. It’s a matter of great concern when people close to the children; physically, emotionally or sexually abuse them. In most occasions, guardians who are mentally stable and highly conscious of their actions continually and methodically abuse their children in some way which causes adverse effects on the child emotional and physical development. Notably some parents, guardian, and adults intentionally neglect their duties and responsibility to safeguard and protect the welfare of these children and instead harm and abuse them. It is the responsibility of every individual and the community in general to report any cases of child abuse to the government authorizes to ensure a decisive action is taken to stop the continuation of the abuse. The child protection system has systematically assisted in protecting the child from exploitation, neglect, abuse, and violence. The following paper analyzes the responsibilities taken by child protection systems when a parent neglects the child, and what steps the child protection system needs to take to protect children from harm.
Child abuse refers to any behavior that harms a child either physically, emotionally, sexually or exploitation and neglect of any kind. It is against the law to abuse any child, therefore the community should be on the watch out for any form of abuse and report it to the authorities. The effects of child abuse have been known to have a lasting and severe implication on the abused child. The various types of child abuse include: emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
Emotional abuse would include ignoring, yelling, terrorizing, criticizing, shaming or bullying acts that deny the child security, approval and love as well as mistreating a child verbally. On the other hand, neglect refers to the failure of the guardian to provide the basic amenities that a child needs to grow which includes: shelter, education, hygiene, food, medical attention, supervision or safety. Physical abuse referrers to any form of intentional bodily harm that happens to a child and causes injury. Such abuse would include: punching, hitting, scratching, beating, choking, shaking, burning, or strangling. Moreover, sexual abuse refers to any form of sexual contact between an adult and a child which would include incest or any sexual acts.
Children who have experienced abuse will have different responses. In some cases, the child recovers easily and quickly while others experience long-lasting effects. Abuse may result to a child physical harm which may involve: breaking bones, bruises on the body, difficulty working, weakened bran development, prolonged pain in various body parts, poor physical health or sexually transmitted diseases among others. Additionally, abuse will result to mental effects which may include: depression, dissociation, low self-esteem, anxiety or even persistent fear. At times abused children portray antisocial behaviors which will consist of criminal activities, trouble sleeping, drug abuse, eating disorders or self-harm which may happen for a prolonged period.
Notably, it is the responsibility of the department of human services to take action to prevent occurrence or reoccurrence of such abusive behaviors. Apart from our obligation to notify the department of human services it is also essential to know how to deal with these cases. To help one evaluate and determine if any particular case qualifies to be child abuse it is essential for one to talk to someone they trust. Talking to a person who has experienced child abuse or one who has professional knowledge is also crucial. Doctors, teachers, counselors, police officers or health workers are in an excellent position to provide someone with such information. Such people will also inform one of the best ways to handle such a matter given that it is difficult to find evidence on some types of abuse for example emotional abuse.
The child protection system under the department of human services offers a wide range of services to ensure the support and protection of children; these services can be classified as universal, secondary and tertiary services. Universal services are focused on providing the necessary support and preventing any form of abuse or neglect. They include pregnancy counseling, preschool education, child-health services and they are granted to everyone in the community. Secondary services are aimed at identifying and reducing stresses that may lead to child abuse by the guardians. The service involves family counseling, self-help groups, financial counseling, and in-home family help. Tertiary services focus on children who are a risk of abuse and may need the intervention of child protection to ensure their safety. Such an intervention may include out-of-home-care or statutory child protection especially for families that are experiencing difficulty. In general, these services provide children with protection from abuse and harm by offering family-focused and child-centered services.
The various steps that the child protection system need to take to protect the children from harm include the intake, investigation, protective intervention, protective order, and closer ("Protection Order Policy | Child Protection Manual"). The intake stage involves the preparation of a report on any potential abuse and concludes once the report has been transferred for investigation or closed if the case is not justifiable. Under this stage, the authorities receive and review the report to determine the appropriate response as well as assist the families’ access support services. Additionally, it involves the receiving, registration, and classification of the reported incidence. All protective intervention reports are handed over for investigation depending on the urgency of the report, resolved issues are closed and responses provided with the interest of the child remaining key.
An investigation is initiated in cases where the child needs protection. The investigation aims at determining the extent and nature of the case at hand, determine whether the child has suffered any significant harm, determine whether the parent ability and means to protect the child, determine if statutory intervention is needed or if other interventions are needed to assist the family. Each investigation has to have a written plan, direct contact with the child and determine whether the report is substantiated. The child’s initial contact has to be effected within fourteen days after the report has been filed.
The next step is the protective intervention which comes into effect once the investigation as identified any form of neglect or abuse and ends if a protection order is issued or the case is closed. The step aims at supporting and protecting the child’s interests without necessarily seeking a protection order. A case plan is prepared and presented to the child as well as the guardian within twenty-one days and aims to achieve the intended goals of protective intervention may continue for four months.
The next step is the protection order which usually commences when the children’s court issue the directive. This phase aims at meeting the statutory requirements provided by the law, reduce the risk to the child and ensure the child’s development and safety by providing for the child’s present and future care and wellbeing. Children under this stage have been found to be in need of protection, and the statutory involvement is necessary to ensure their well-being. In cases where family reunification is planned the child’s protection practitioner works toward empowering the family to function independently.
Closure is the final part of child protection involvement which is arrived at if the protection is no longer necessary or possible. Closure can happen when despite the undertaking all the necessary steps investigation is not possible. Moreover is may occur in cases where; the protective intervention report is not substantiated, the protective concerns have been fully addressed, an order by the children’s court, the child relocates interstate, and all legal responsibilities have been finalized, the child attains the age of eighteen or dies. Closure phase mainly aims at finalizing the case, implementing exit plans, competing of necessary procedures and finalizing the documentation of the case. The case planner has the responsibility to close the case however additional endorsement is required for high-risk cases.
Conclusion
In summary, it is essential for everyone to participate fully in assisting to resolve child abuse related cases. The involvement of the state is necessary through the child protection system to ensure the right steps are taken to protect every child. State laws have provided a well-structured process through which such cases can be reported, investigated and the decisive actions are taken to prevent harm or abuse of any child.
Work cited
"Protection Order Policy | Child Protection Manual." Cpmanual.vic.gov.au. N.p., 2016. Web.
