Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect: Foundations for a New National Strategy

This volume brings together leading experts on child maltreatment to address its social, cultural, and economic precursors as well as effective prevention and treatment. Focusing on ways to strengthen neighborhoods, to build connections among and within families, and to bolster economic and social supports, architects of the nationwide strategy for preventing child abuse offer practical advice for the development and implementation of programs and policies to prevent harm to children. Aiming toward a future, society?wide safety net in which child protection becomes a part of everyday life, this work proposes an agenda for critical research and identifies concrete strategies for all those whose work brings them in contact with children. This book is ideal for social workers, all mental health professionals working with children, child rights advocates, child welfare administrators, and policy makers. It is also valuable as a primary text or secondary reading for courses dealing with strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect.

Table of Contents:
R.D. Krugman, Foreword. G.B. Melton, F.D. Barry, Neighbors Helping Neighbors: The Vision of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. F.D. Barry, A. Neighborhood-based Approach: What Is It? R.A. Thompson, Social Support and the Prevention of Child Maltreatment. L.H. Pelton, The Role of Material Factors in Child Abuse and Neglect. J.E. Kobin, Sociocultural Factors in Child Maltreatment. D.A. Wolfe, The Role of Intervention and Treatment Services in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. J. Garbarino, K. Kostelny, Neighborhood-based Programs. P. Lerman, Prevention of Child Maltreatment in Out-of-home Settings. Appendix. Reports of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect.

About the Author :
Gary B. Melton, Ph.D., is Professor of neuropsychiatry, law, and psychology at the University of South Carolina, where he directs the Institute for Families in Society. A past president of the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Psychological Association (APA) Division of Child, Youth, and Family Services, he has received distinguished contributions awards for public service from the APA, three of its divisions, and the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. He is past vice-chair of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, he coordinates a regular briefing series for congressional staff, and his work has been cited by courts at all levels, including the U.S. Supreme Court. The author or editor of more than 200 publications, he has lectured or conducted research in 15 countries. Frank Barry, M.S., is a Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University's Family Life Development Center in the College of Human Ecology, where he currently directs a demonstration project to prevent child abuse by strengthening neighborhoods, and provides training for rural social service commissioners. His interest is in community development, especially in rural areas: organizing community road, school, and water projects in Mexican villages, training community action agency board and staff members during the War on Poverty era, encouraging parent involvement in Head Start programs and schools, and organizing community task forces on child abuse and neglect. He served four years on the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, where he advocated neighborhood strengthening strategies to reduce child abuse and neglect. His chapter on neighborhood-based approaches was included in the 1992 Advisory Board Report, and he coauthored the Board's 1993 report with Dr. Melton. Other publications include manuals, articles, and a book chapter on organizing community efforts, interagency collaboration, and delivery of human services in rural areas.

Review :
The content is a rich sourcebook of recent research and thinking on issues related to the etiology, treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. The strong reference listings in all chapters will aid researchers and students.... - Child and Family Behavior Therapy Should be required reading for professionals in the fields of mental health, social services, and law....This book, written by well-known and extremely knowledgeable professionals, provides us with a blueprint for action. - Diane J. Willis, PhD