CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT USER MANUAL SERIES Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment and Intervention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children's Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention Diane DePanfilis 2006 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Table of Contents PREFACE.......................................................................................................................................................1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................................ 3 1.. PURPOSE.AND.OVERVIEW........................................................................................................ 7 2.. DEFINITION.AND.SCOPE.OF.NEGLECT................................................................................. 9 What.Is.Neglect?..............................................................................................................................9 Types.of.Neglect............................................................................................................................11 Signs.of.Possible.Neglect................................................................................................................15 Scope.of.the.Problem.....................................................................................................................16 3.. IMPACT.OF.NEGLECT.............................................................................................................. 21 Health.and.Physical.Development.................................................................................................22 Intellectual.and.Cognitive.Development........................................................................................24 Emotional,.Psychosocial,.and.Behavioral.Development..................................................................25 4.. RISK.AND.PROTECTIVE.FACTORS......................................................................................... 29 Environmental.Factors...................................................................................................................29 Family.Factors................................................................................................................................33 Parent.or.Caregiver.Factors............................................................................................................36 Child.Factors.................................................................................................................................39 5.. ASSESSMENT.OF.CHILD.NEGLECT....................................................................................... 43 Framework.for.Practice..................................................................................................................45 Intake............................................................................................................................................45 Initial.Assessment.or.Investigation.................................................................................................46 Family.Assessment.Process.............................................................................................................49 Structured.Assessment.Measures....................................................................................................52 Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention i 6.. CHILD.NEGLECT.PREVENTION.AND.INTERVENTION..................................................... 55 Principles.for.Effective.Prevention.and.Intervention.......................................................................55 Theoretical.Frameworks.and.Approaches........................................................................................57 Key.Steps.in.the.Intervention.Process.............................................................................................63 Promising.Practices.for.Intervention..............................................................................................68 Conclusion....................................................................................................................................71 ENDNOTES.......................................................................................................................................... 73 APPENDICES: . APPENDIX.A—GLOSSARY.OF.TERMS.................................................................................... 87 . APPENDIX.B—RESOURCE.LISTINGS.OF.SELECTED.NATIONAL.ORGANIZATIONS. CONCERNED.WITH.CHILD.MALTREATMENT.................................................................... 93 . APPENDIX.C—STATE.TELEPHONE.NUMBERS.FOR.REPORTING.CHILD.ABUSE......... 99. APPENDIX.D—NEGLECT.AND.THE.CHILD.AND.FAMILY.SERVICES.REVIEWS.......... 101 iiii Table of Contents Preface ach day, the safety and well-being of some and system reform efforts. Significant advances Echildren across the Nation are threatened by in research have helped shape new directions for child abuse and neglect. Intervening effectively interventions, while ongoing evaluations help us to in the lives of these children and their families is know “what works.” not the sole responsibility of any single agency or professional group, but rather is a shared community The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) concern. within the Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department Since the late 1970s, the Child Abuse and Neglect of Health and Human Services (DHHS), has User Manual Series has provided guidance on developed this third edition of the User Manual child protection to hundreds of thousands of Series to reflect the increased knowledge base and interdisciplinary professionals and concerned the evolving state of practice. The updated and community members. The User Manual Series new manuals are comprehensive in scope while provides a foundation for understanding child succinct in presentation and easy to follow, and maltreatment and the roles and responsibilities of they address trends and concerns relevant to today’s various practitioners in its prevention, identification, professional. investigation, assessment, and treatment. Through the years, the manuals have served as valuable While the User Manual Series primarily addresses resources for building knowledge, promoting effective the issues of child abuse and neglect, this manual practices, and enhancing community collaboration. delves deeper into the root causes, symptoms, and consequences of neglect, as well as the Since the last update of the User Manual Series in interdisciplinary ways to prevent both its occurrence the early 1990s, a number of changes have occurred and recurrence. Readers of Child Neglect: A Guide that dramatically affect each community’s response for Assessment, Prevention, and Intervention also to child maltreatment. This is true particularly in the may be interested in Child Protective Services: area of neglect. Both the field and the community A Guide for Caseworkers, which goes into more increasingly recognize the impact of many factors on depth on issues such as family assessment and neglect, such as poverty, unemployment, and housing, case planning. They also may have interest in A as well as individual and family characteristics. The Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: changing landscape reflects increased recognition The Foundation for Practice, the keystone for the of the complexity of issues facing parents and their series, which addresses the definition, scope, causes, children, new legislation, practice innovations, and consequences of child abuse and neglect. It Child Neglect: A Guide for Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention presents an overview of prevention efforts and the different professional groups and offers guidance child protection process. Because child protection on how the groups can work together effectively to is a multidisciplinary effort, The Foundation for protect the safety, permanency, and well-being of Practice describes the roles and responsibilities of children. User Manual Series This.manual—along.with.the.entire.Child Abuse and Neglect User Manual Series—is.available.from.Child. Welfare.Information.Gateway...For.a.full.list.of.available.manuals.and.ordering.information,.contact: Child.Welfare.Information.Gateway. 1250.Maryland.Avenue,.SW. Eighth.Floor. Washington,.DC.20024. Phone:.(800).394-3366.or.(703).385-7565. Fax:.(703).385-3206. E-mail:[email protected] The.manuals.also.are.available.online.at.http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanual.cfm. Preface ACKNOWLEDGMENTS held. policy. and. direct. practice. positions. in. child. UTHOR A welfare.and.family.programs..She.also.has.cultivated. an.extensive.network.in.various.related.professional. Diane. DePanfilis,. Ph.D.,. M.S.W.,. is. the. Associate. fields,.including.domestic.violence,.fatherhood,.and. Dean. for. Research. and. an. Associate. Professor. of. poverty...She.is.currently.the.Project.Manager.for.the. Social.Work.at.the.University.of.Maryland,.Baltimore,. User Manual Series. where. she. teaches. social. work. practice. and. child. lindsay. ritter. Taylor,. a. former. consultant. with. welfare.research.courses.in.the.Master.of.Social.Work.