Preventing Child Maltreatment

Each year, millions of children in the United States experience some form of maltreatment. Such traumatic experiences, particularly in the early stages of development, can have a devastating impact on children. Following is some general information about preventing child maltreatment and some selected current research estimates released in the latest report, Child Maltreatment 2005, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

What is Child Maltreatment?
It is an act or failure to act by adults that results in physical abuse, neglect, medical neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or that presents a risk of serious harm to a child. Adults who were abused as children, use alcohol or other drugs, have difficulty with controlling their anger and frustration, are stressed with financial, job-related or other issues, get frustrated because they expect too much of a child, or don’t know how to discipline a child without violence, are at risk for becoming perpetrators of child abuse or neglect.

Child Maltreatment in the US: A Sad Picture in Numbers
According to the latest report, Child Maltreatment 2005, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there were approximately 3.3 million referrals to CPS and of these, almost 900,000 were determined to involve victims of maltreatment. In approximately 90% of reported cases one or both parents, acting alone or with another person, were the perpetrators of maltreatment, with neglect reported as the most prevalent form (62.8%), followed by physical abuse (16.6%), sexual abuse (9.3%), and medical neglect (2%). Girls were more likely than boys to have been victims of maltreatment (50.7% and 47.3% respectively). Additionally, infants and toddlers were the most likely to have been victims of maltreatment, with rates steadily decreasing as children’s age increased. Moreover, African-American children had the highest rates of maltreatment, as compared to other ethnic groups.

During 2005, an estimated 1,460 children died from maltreatment. In approximately 87% of reported cases one or both parents, acting alone or with another person, were the perpetrators. The most prevalent form of maltreatment leading to a child fatality was neglect (42.2%), followed by multiple forms of abuse (27.3%), physical abuse (24.1%), psychological abuse (3.7%), medical neglect (2.5%), and sexual abuse (0.3%). Boys were more likely than girls to have died from maltreatment. Additionally, children under four years of age were more likely to have died from maltreatment (76.6%). Caucasian children had the highest maltreatment fatality rates overall (44.3%), as compared to other ethnic groups.

How to Prevent Child Maltreatment
As this report suggests, parents are the most likely perpetrators of child maltreatment. Children's early life experiences, which are in large part provided by their parents, set the stage for how they will develop the ability to think, feel, trust, and relate to others. Furthermore, child abuse and neglect can have long-term negative effects on children's health and behaviors across the lifespan. The ACT Program emphasizes the need for parents and other caregivers to be positive role models and create a healthy and safe environment for their children. More specifically, the program teaches parents and other adults how to raise children without violence.

Tips for Parents and Other Caregivers on Raising Children Without Violence

1. Be realistic and patient.
   • Know what children are capable of understanding and doing at different ages.
   • Expect your children to act like children; they are not little adults.
   • It is not personal. Children misbehave because they are still learning how to behave.
   • Show respect for your children’s stage of development and accept their unique personality.
2. You are the most important teacher.
   • Pay attention to what you say and do to a child or in front of a child because children learn from observing and imitating people around them.
   • Give time and attention to your children.
   • Make your children feel safe, loved, protected and that their basic physical needs will be met.
3. Control your anger.
   • Learn to recognize what makes you angry, frustrated, or stressed.
   • Notice what happens to your body when you are angry.
   • Keep your attention on the present situation.
   • Don't use your children as scapegoats for your problems.
4. Conflicts with others are a part of life.
   • Solve your problems and disputes using words and not violence.
   • Understand the feelings and points of view of everybody involved in a conflict.
   • Show by your example to your children how to resolve conflicts in positive ways without violence.
5. Use nonviolent methods of discipline.
   • The goal of discipline is to teach good behaviors to children.
   • Use a few clear words to tell your children how they should behave.
   • Define clear simple rules and limits for behaviors and be consistent.
   • Use methods of discipline appropriate for the children’s ages such as time-out, ignoring the behavior, teaching consequences of actions, and loss of privileges.