Role of Related Professionals in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect

Professionals outside the child welfare field play an important role in identifying risk, promoting protective factors, and preventing child abuse and neglect.

Pediatricians and other health-care providers
Educators
Law enforcement
Clergy

Pediatricians and other health-care providers

Defining the Children's Hospital Role in Child Maltreatment (PDF - 1,520 KB)
National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (2nd ed.) (2011)
Comprehensive set of guidelines on infrastructure, staffing, systems, and programs needed to guide the development and sustainability of a children's hospital child protection program.

Implementing the Promoting the Healthy Development Survey (PHDS)
Commonwealth Fund (2006)
Comprehensive guidelines to State officials, physician practices, and health systems on how to implement the PHDS, a parent survey to assess and improve the quality of preventive and developmental care provided to young children.

Maltreatment of Children With Disabilities
Hibbard, Desch, & American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect and Council on Children With Disabilities
Pediatrics, 119(5), 2007
Provides education to pediatricians regarding early recognition and intervention of child maltreatment of children with disabilities as well as ways to facilitate prevention.

The Pediatrician's Role in Child Maltreatment Prevention
Flaherty & Stirling
Pediatrics, 126(4), 2010
Describes some of the risk factors for child maltreatment and addresses how pediatricians can help prevent maltreatment by identifying family strengths, recognizing risk factors, providing helpful guidance, and referring families to programs and other resources.

Practicing Safety
American Academy of Pediatrics
Ways to increase screening for possible child abuse and neglect by pediatric practices to parents of children ages 0-3. Focuses on expanding anticipatory guidance on seven "new morbidities" that, if discussed by the pediatric staff and implemented by the parent, can help to reduce child abuse and neglect.

Preventing Child Neglect and Physical Abuse: A Role for Pediatricians (PDF - 64 KB)
Dubowitz
Pediatrics in Review, 23(6), 2002
Discusses the importance of preventing child abuse and neglect, the role of pediatricians, and key risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect. Principles and guidelines are provided in the areas of screening, brief assessment, and initial management of problems related to child abuse and neglect.

Public Health Leadership Initiative
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Describes a 3-year project to identify best practice models of State public health leadership in preventing child maltreatment and promoting safe, stable, and nurturing relationships for children.

What Is Child Welfare? A Guide for Health-Care Professionals

Series Title	Factsheets
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 323KB)
Year Published	2018

Provides health-care professionals—including pediatricians, family practice providers, hospital nurses, school nurses, and urgent care clinicians—with an overview of the field of child welfare and suggests ways that health-care professionals and child welfare workers can work together to promote better outcomes for children and families involved with child welfare, including children in foster care. Links to resources are also included.

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Educators

Child Abuse Prevention Sourcebook for Florida School Personnel: A Tool for Reporting Abuse and Supporting the Child (PDF - 3,041 KB)
Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, & Student Support Services Project/USF (2011)
Provides Florida teachers and other school district employees with information about their legal responsibilities as mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse and/or neglect to assist them in recognizing indicators of abuse and neglect and to better prepare them to support students who have been maltreated.

An Introduction to Child Maltreatment: A Five-Unit Lesson Plan for Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools
American Psychological Association (2001)
Provides lessons that can be used in high school psychology, health, and sex education classes to prevent child abuse and neglect by educating future parents about the impact of negative parenting behaviors on child development.

Preventing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Guidance for School Personnel (PDF - 475 KB)
Colorado State Department of Education, Prevention Initiatives Unit (2002)
Helps educators and other school personnel develop appropriate policy and training programs to identify, respond to, and prevent child abuse and neglect.

The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect

Author(s)	Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Children's Bureau Crosson-Tower, Cynthia.
Availability	View Download (PDF - 3,665KB)
Year Published	2003

This manual, designed to examine the roles that teachers, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, special education professionals, administrators, and other school personnel have in helping maltreated children, provides the basis for the involvement of educators in combating the problem of child abuse and neglect. It also may be used by other professionals involved in child abuse and neglect interventions, such as child protective services, mental health, law enforcement, health care, and early childhood professionals, to gain a better understanding of the role of educators in child protection. Specifically, this manual addresses the following topics: Identifying reasons why educators are concerned; Recognizing child abuse and neglect; Reporting child abuse and neglect; Providing support after the report; and Preventing child abuse and neglect. Appendices include an educators' checklist for recognizing possible child maltreatment and a sample report of suspected child abuse and neglect.

School-Based Child Maltreatment Programs: Synthesis of Lessons Learned

Series Title	Grantee Lessons Learned
Author(s)	Children's Bureau (DHHS), Washington, DC.
Availability	View Download (PDF - 200KB)
Year Published	2003

The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect awarded several grants during Fiscal Year 1997 to programs that utilized school resources for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The three-year demonstration projects focused on collaboration between child protection agencies and school systems; education for parents, teachers, and children about child abuse and neglect; and the involvement of school staff in prevention and intervention. This report summarizes the service approaches and lessons learned by 11 demonstration programs as noted in their final reports. The projects found that training was effective in enhancing knowledge about the signs of child abuse and reporting procedures. Teachers who attended prevention activities applied concepts to lesson plans and classroom management, while children became more conscious of safety. Direct services to at-risk children and families, disclosure response assistance, parenting education, and resource directories resulted in improvements in child behavior and academic achievement, as well as parental knowledge about stress and the child protection reporting system. In general, the grantees recommended flexibility in program schedules, cultural sensitivity for outreach activities, adaptability in response to participant needs, and realistic expectations for service utilization. 1 table.

School-Related Issues in Child Abuse and Neglect
Hanson, Smith, & Fricker-Elhai (2004)
In Handbook of Pediatric Psychology in School Settings
View Abstract
Provides information on child maltreatment to educators and school psychologists so they can become more aware of the scope and magnitude of child maltreatment.

When Children are Abused: An Educator's Guide to Intervention
Tower (2002)
View Abstract
Guidance for educators to recognize and respond to different forms of child maltreatment, formulate a school reporting protocol, and create a Child Protection Team. Successful programs for preventing child abuse are highlighted, and strategies for implementing a successful prevention program are shared.

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Law enforcement

Child Abuse and Neglect in the Home
Dedel
Problem-Oriented Guides for Police: Problem-Specific Guides Series, 55, 2010
Summarizes, for police, knowledge about how to minimize harm caused by specific crime and disorder problems. The series of guides is designed to improve overall law-enforcement response to incidents.

Comparing Child Protective Investigation Performance Between Law Enforcement Agencies and Child Welfare Agencies
Jordan, Yampolskaya, Gustafson, Armstrong, McNeish, & Vargo (2011)
Child Welfare, 90(2)
View Abstract
Examines the comparative effectiveness of using law enforcement agencies for child protective investigation (CPI), in contrast with the traditional approach of CPI conducted by the public child welfare agency.

Law Enforcement Reference Guide in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases
South Dakota Unified Judicial System (2011)
View Abstract
Discusses procedures for handling child abuse and neglect cases and reviews key information that officers should obtain when they are first on the scene to determine if the child is in eminent danger.

Police in the Lives of Young Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (PDF - 1,160 KB)
Berkman & Esserman (2004)
In Early Childhood, Domestic Violence, and Poverty: Helping Young Children and Their Families
Focuses on strategies for police departments to respond effectively to the needs of children and families, including guidelines to promote increased safety, security, and support for children's development and recommendations for police policy with regard to young children.

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Clergy

Caring for the Abuse Affected Child and Family: Facilitator's Guide for Clergy
Maine Child Welfare Training Institute and Cross Disciplinary Training Project (2004)
View Abstract
Interdisciplinary curriculum designed to train the clergy in the areas of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and substance abuse, including information on what congregations can do to prevent abuse.

Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2005)
Puts forth 17 articles to be adopted and implemented to guarantee an effective response by the church to allegations of sexual abuse of minors, ensure the accountability of their procedures, and to protect the faithful in the future. Also available in Spanish and other languages.

Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect

Series Title	State Statutes
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 273KB)
Year Published	2016

Discusses laws that require members of the clergy to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The issue of whether a member of the clergy can claim privileged communications as a reason for not reporting also is discussed. Full-text excerpts of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

From Safe Sanctuaries to Strong Communities: The Role of Communities of Faith in Child Protection
Melton & Anderson
Family and Community Health, 31(2), 2008
View Abstract
Discusses the potential contributions of faith communities to child abuse prevention efforts, examines the role of religiosity as a protective factor, and describes two community initiatives that are engaging churches in child abuse prevention.

Keeping Our Promise to Protect: April Is Child Abuse Prevention Month: Liturgy Guide (PDF - 7,640 KB)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2008)
Presents, in English and Spanish, a list of Biblical readings, gospel passages, homily helps, and intercessions to address the issue of child abuse for the four Sundays in April.

Preventing Child Abuse: Creating a Safe Place
Swagman (4th ed.) (2009)
View Abstract
Helps churches develop policies and procedures to protect children and youth from abuse and includes information on screening volunteers and staff, guidelines for handling allegations of abuse, and a suggested code of ethics for individuals working in child and youth programs.

Prevention Objective 1.6: Faith-Based and Community-Based Efforts (PDF - 73 KB)
Florida Executive Office of the Governor & Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Council (2011)
Discusses procedures the State of Florida will be taking by June 2015 to provide information and resources to promote and build efforts by faith-based and community-based systems to provide family and community supports that build protective factors in families.

Shield the Vulnerable
This website offers a 90-minute interactive course specifically for California-based Catholic priests and diocesan, parish, and school staff and volunteers on how to recognize, report and prevent child abuse.

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