Davis: Child-abuse solutions rest with family, community

April is National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. It is a time we dedicate to learning about the issues and situations surrounding the abuse and neglect of one of the most vulnerable populations in our midst – our children.

All 50 states have child protection agencies – in Texas, the Department of Family and Protective Services is the parent agency of Child Protective Services.

Each state has definitions of child abuse and neglect that are derived from a common source – the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.

CAPTA defines child abuse and neglect as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical and emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm” to a child.

There are four areas of child maltreatment: neglect, physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual abuse, individually or in combination.

The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System collects and analyzes child abuse and neglect data from child protective agencies in all 50 states.

Federal and state laws require agencies and individuals to make referrals of child abuse and neglect incidents to local child protective services offices. These referrals are screened, and if verified, depending upon the circumstances, an investigation ensues and various responses are developed to meet the needs of a family.

Those responses range from referral to counseling to the extreme – the removal of a child and placement in foster care.

The most recent NCANDS Child Maltreatment report reflects that during 2014, CPS agencies received 3.6 million referrals, involving about 6.6 million children. Of those referrals, 60.7 percent were verified – a national estimate of 702,000 child victims of abuse or neglect.

The highest victim category includes children in their first year of life. More than 90 percent of victims were found to be victims in one report, and less than 7 percent were victims in repeated reports.

Most children were victims of neglect and physical abuse.

The 50 states reported that 1,546 children died as the result of abuse or neglect, with the majority of child fatalities occurring between birth and 3 years of age. Over 80 percent of abusers were between the ages of 18 and 44; most abusers were women.

Multiple life stressors, such as a family history of abuse or neglect, physical and mental health problems, marital conflict, substance abuse, domestic or community violence, unemployment, financial insecurity, and homelessness can reduce a parent’s capacity to cope effectively with the typical day-to-day stress of raising children.

Conversely, community level protective factors — such as a positive community environment and economic opportunities — enhance parental resilience in these situations.

One of the national responses designed to address these staggering statistics includes the development of a community resource guide to assist the child protective agencies in combating child maltreatment through education, building supportive family environments and providing parenting assistance.

There are no “magic bullet” scenarios to resolve these issues. What is critical is that we, as community and family members, are vigilant and responsive to the signs of abuse and neglect of the children in our care and in our midst.

When we see a child who we suspect is abused or neglected, our first response should be to make a report to the CPS hotline at 1-800-252-5400; in fact, every adult is required to do so by law. However, reporting is not the end of our responsibility to our children, we must protect them.

We are called to be aware but also to be supportive of the family members who find themselves resorting to abuse and neglect of the children entrusted to them.

Ouisa D. Davis is an attorney at law in El Paso. Email Ouisadavis@yahoo.com.