Child Maltreatment and Non-Accidental Trauma

Child Maltreatment and Non-Accidental Trauma

It is difficult to understand why children are maltreated, but they are. Child maltreatment includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and medical neglect.

Be sure to review the charts below.

According to Child Trends, in fiscal year 2017, three-fourths of maltreatment types included neglect, followed by physical abuse, which accounted for 18%. You will also see the number of child fatalities and perpetrators. You will notice that neglect is the most common form of abuse, and that parents are the overwhelming perpetrators.

Figure 4

Number and Rate of Child Maltreatment* Cases/Victims: 1990-2017

Young children experience higher rates of maltreatment than older children. In 2017, children 3 and younger had a maltreatment rate of 15 per 1000, compared with 10 per 1000 for children ages 4 to 7, 8 per 1000 for ages 8 to 11, 7 per 1000 for ages 12 to 15, and 5 per 1000 for children ages 16 to 17 (Appendix 2).

Figure 5

Child Maltreatment* Rate (Unique Victims per 1,000 Population), by Age:  2017

According to the Administration on Children, Families and Youth, in fiscal year 2017, the youngest children were the most vulnerable to maltreatment. In 2017, the reported maltreatment rate for non-Hispanic black children was 14 per 1,000 children, 14 per 1,000 for American Indian and Alaska Native children, and 11 per 1,000 for multiple-race children. This compares with rates of 9 for non-Hispanic Pacific Islander children, 8 for Hispanic children, 8 for non-Hispanic white children, and 2 for non-Hispanic Asian children

Non-accidental trauma in children and adolescents most often reflects traumatic brain injury due to shaken baby syndrome; broken bones due to physical abuse; burns from cigarettes, or other bodily injuries that are caused by others.

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

Reference

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021). Child Maltreatment 2021. 

Child Trends (2019). Child Maltreatment Databank Indicator.

Assignment: Prepare a Report of Your State's HHS Abuse Prevalence Rates

Background

Your assignment this week is to prepare a report of your state’s child abuse prevalence rates (you can use any state). This information is available on your state’s website under Health and Human Services.

Instructions

Review the types and amount of child abuse cases that are ‘founded’ which means that caregivers have been charged with abuse/neglect and found to be guilty. Look at the statistics, and then craft a snapshot of what child abuse looks like in your state.

For example, what are the ages of those most likely to abused, who are the perpetrators, were the child/children removed from the home, was substance abuse indicated in any of the abuse.

Length: 2 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Please cite your state’s website.

The assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.

Child Maltreatment and Non-Accidental Trauma

It is difficult to understand why children are maltreated, but they are. Child maltreatment includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and medical neglect.

Be sure to review the charts below.

According to Child Trends, in fiscal year 2017, three-fourths of maltreatment types included neglect, followed by physical abuse, which accounted for 18%. You will also see the number of child fatalities and perpetrators. You will notice that neglect is the most common form of abuse, and that parents are the overwhelming perpetrators.

Figure 4

Number and Rate of Child Maltreatment* Cases/Victims: 1990-2017

Young children experience higher rates of maltreatment than older children. In 2017, children 3 and younger had a maltreatment rate of 15 per 1000, compared with 10 per 1000 for children ages 4 to 7, 8 per 1000 for ages 8 to 11, 7 per 1000 for ages 12 to 15, and 5 per 1000 for children ages 16 to 17 (Appendix 2).

Figure 5

Child Maltreatment* Rate (Unique Victims per 1,000 Population), by Age:  2017

According to the Administration on Children, Families and Youth, in fiscal year 2017, the youngest children were the most vulnerable to maltreatment. In 2017, the reported maltreatment rate for non-Hispanic black children was 14 per 1,000 children, 14 per 1,000 for American Indian and Alaska Native children, and 11 per 1,000 for multiple-race children. This compares with rates of 9 for non-Hispanic Pacific Islander children, 8 for Hispanic children, 8 for non-Hispanic white children, and 2 for non-Hispanic Asian children

Non-accidental trauma in children and adolescents most often reflects traumatic brain injury due to shaken baby syndrome; broken bones due to physical abuse; burns from cigarettes, or other bodily injuries that are caused by others.

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

Reference

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021). Child Maltreatment 2021. 

Child Trends (2019). Child Maltreatment Databank Indicator.

Assignment: Prepare a Report of Your State's HHS Abuse Prevalence Rates

Background

Your assignment this week is to prepare a report of your state’s child abuse prevalence rates (you can use any state). This information is available on your state’s website under Health and Human Services.

Instructions

Review the types and amount of child abuse cases that are ‘founded’ which means that caregivers have been charged with abuse/neglect and found to be guilty. Look at the statistics, and then craft a snapshot of what child abuse looks like in your state.

For example, what are the ages of those most likely to abused, who are the perpetrators, were the child/children removed from the home, was substance abuse indicated in any of the abuse.

Length: 2 pages, not including title and reference pages

References: Please cite your state’s website.

The assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.