User:Fleetham/childwelfare

Increased rates of child maltreatment and risk factors for child maltreatment, such as drug use and poverty, make child welfare services an important provision in Indian Country.

Child abuse and neglect may be more prevalent in Indian communities than non-Indian ones, but this does not mean child neglect and abuse are commonplace in Indian communities. Data from 1995, 1998, and 2003 show that between 2% and 3% of Indian children experienced maltreatment. Statistics on Indian child welfare may be inaccurate and reported rates may be lower than actual incidence of child abuse and neglect.

Concurrent problems

Risk factors whose presence makes child maltreatment a more likely occurrence do exist. It is difficult to show that problems which often occur alongside child abuse or neglect are etiologic, but removing or mitigating such risk factors is thought to reduce incidence of child maltreatment. And children in families with risk factors, especially multiple risk factors, are considered more likely to experience maltreatment.

While there are other risk factors for child maltreatment, such as single-parent households, spouse abuse, etc., two major concurrent problems are drug use and poverty.

Drug use

Drug use and child maltreatment often co-occur. In 1995 American children were over 400% more likely to be neglected and nearly 300% more likely to be assaulted if their parents engaged in drug use including alcohol. Alcohol dependence in parents increases the risk that their children will face repeated maltreatment, and in 1999 drug use was, along with poverty, cited as one of the top problems concurrent with child maltreatment.

As of 2009, Indians experience elevated use rates for illegal drugs, and 2007 data show that while less than half use alcohol, Indians that do are more likely to be heavy drinkers.

Poverty

Poverty, unemployment, and child neglect are often concurrent problems. And children in poor families are also more likely to be physically abused. In 1999 poverty was, along with drug use, cited as one of the top problems concurrent with child maltreatment.

As of 2000, 26% of American Indians and Alaskan natives lived in poverty. 2009 figures from Jefferson County, Oregon, show 25.5 to 31.9% of the under-18 population lives in poverty, and the numbers for those 5-17 years of age are 24.1 to 30.5%.

Providers

Child welfare services are provisioned in Indian communities by a variety of providers including tribal authorities. Tribal authorities are often involved in providing such services, and a 2003 study showed more than 80% of American Indian tribes had child protective teams and protocols and 65% of tribes either took part in child abuse and neglect investigations or were the sole investigator. 80% of tribes with a tribal court took part in such investigations.

Non-tribal providers of child welfare services to Indian children include state and county agencies and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an organ of the Federal Department of the Interior that administers tribal lands and provides education for American Indians.

Investigation methodology

While there may be many different casework methodologies used in child welfare investigations, one type can be considered to consist of at least 5 distinct parts: identification, intake, intervention planning, service provision, and case closure.

Identifying abuse and neglect

A child welfare investigation can't take place unless abuse or neglect is identified. Besides the below-listed indicators, a child's behavior can also show signs of maltreatment. Reluctance or fear to return home from school, daycare, or hospital may be indicative of abuse and children exposed to sexual abuse may also display highly inappropriate sexual behavior.

Identification may be made by a variety of individuals, including teachers, law enforcement personnel, social services providers, and neighbors or relatives.

Concurrent problems perhaps should be thought of as aids to child maltreatment identification.

Physical abuse

Physical abuse may be identified by placement and pattern of marks on the body. Marks on the face, neck, mouth, trunk, genitals, back of legs, or ears are more indicative of abuse than accident, as are those made by implements or objects used to harm.

Explanation of injury given by the parent or child may help identify physical abuse if the account is unlikely, unbelievable, or does not correspond with the physical evidence.

Sexual abuse

Injury to the genitals, a history of frequent urinary or yeast infections, pain/irritation of the genitals, and incidence of sexually transmitted infections are all indicative of sexual abuse when they appear in children.

Neglect

Neglect has a higher rate of incidence than abuse, comprising more than half of child welfare cases, and it may be much harder to recognize or identify.

Some clues that neglect may be present include: a parent who is highly critical of the child; a lack of parental attachment to the child; a lack of knowledge by the parent of the child's interests, recent activities, current location, or friends; abandonment or leaving the child with inadequate supervision; an inability by the child to engage with environment (lacks curiosity, isn't responsive to stimuli, etc.); missing school for extended periods of time; undernourishment (a height and weight lower than acceptable for age); lack of hygiene (lice, body odor, scaly skin, etc.); lack of proper sleeping arrangements for the child at home; clothing ill-suited to current weather conditions; or a lack of medical attention for a current illness.

Intake of incident reports

When identification of possible child maltreatment leads to the incident being reported to a child welfare service, certain criteria must be satisfied before action can be taken. Before the receiving agency can make an initial assessment of the case, the report must be determined credible and involve a situation that qualifies as child maltreatment. If these criteria are met, the case is triaged and an evaluation the family is subsequently made.

Planning an intervention

Using the family evaluation as a guide, determination of the most-suitable intervention is made with the involvement of the family.

Provision of services

After a suitable intervention has been decided on, the agency provides the family with that intervention and evaluates their progress.

Case closure

Once the intervention has been completed and the current situation is determined safe and having a required degree of permanency, an enduring connection between the child and a family or at least one committed adult, the agency can end its relationship with the family.