Child Protection In The 1800s

The definition of child protection is the process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm because of abuse or neglect. The term child protection is increasingly being replaced by ‘safeguarding’. Safeguarding has been described as; ‘a broader definition of the range of ways in which adults and professionals working with children need to act when dealing with child protection issues’(Ref: www.education.gov.uk/) Safeguarding refers to the prevention of harm to children and child protection is used more when dealing with policies and procedures following an event of suspected harm.

Child abuse in America is an ongoing problem and something needs to be done. There are approximately one million children abused annually in the United States. (Table 339) Cases of child abuse and neglect are reported every ten seconds, and researchers believe that there’s three times that amount that goes unnoticed. (Child Abuse: Know the Signs and Stop the Violence Against Children.) Something needs to be done for these children who are too weak and too powerless to help themselves.

Safeguarding is for everyone and every organisation responsibility to protect children from any harm and promote their welfare (Children Act, 2004). However, the Department of Children, School

Child abuse is epidemic in many countries as well as the United States. It is estimated that every thirteen seconds a child is abused in some manner: physically, sexually, emotionally or by neglect (Friedman). Each year, there are over 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Child abuse can be reduced with proper education of the parents and with greater public awareness.

It is a reasonable argument that child welfare service entities are necessary as it is all too frequent that child abuse/neglect cases are heard all over the nation and is ultimately a world health issues.  Increasing social issues such as unstable families, poverty, crime, poor education, lack of access to health care and mental health services are some of the factors that contribute to this continuous epidemic that affects many people from various socio-economic classes. Many nations have taken steps to enhance and improve efforts in the fight against the mistreatment of children.

Mary Ellen’s case, in 1874, was one of the first cases of child abuse recorded. According to American Humane Association (2013), she was being abused by her stepmother. There was no such thing as child protective services or the department of family services. There was only the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Her story led to the founding of the New York Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Children (American Humane Association, 2013). In the 1960s’ child abuse was first recognized as a social problem;

The National Children 's Alliance reported that the number of unique cases of abused and neglected children in the United States stands at an annual rate of 700,000 and rising (as cited in ?U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,? 2016, p. ii). Sadly, this means that more than 1,900 new children become victims of abuse and neglect with each passing day. Neglect was the type of

To identify multi agency success where there are concerns with regards to safeguarding issues. Within childcare practice we must be aware that we have a clear and defined role in relation to child protection. Professionals working with children/young people i.e. teaching assistants, volunteers, outside agencies are CRB checked (criminal records bureau). Adults working with children should also be fully trained in safeguarding children by a nominated safeguarding adviser and have the opportunity to receive training in order to develop their understanding of the signs and indicators of abuse or neglect, this training is offered every 3 years. In order for child protection to work effectively we must ensure we have good inter relationships with other agencies and good

For 30 years, advocates, program administrators, and politicians have joined to encourage even more reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Their efforts have been successful, with about three million cases of suspected child abuse having been reported in 1993. Large numbers of endangered children still go unreported, but a serious problem had developed: Upon investigation, as many as 65 percent or the reports now being made are determined to be "unsubstantiated", raising serious civil liberties concerns and placing a huge burden on investigative staffs.

Every day children around the world are being abused by their parents, trusted adult, caregiver and peers. Children are constantly suffering when there are things that everyone as a community can do help them. Psychologists, social workers and the victims to childhood abuse have studied and worked together to establish precautionary measures to execute child abuse all together.

The DfES (2005) have emphasised in their current legislation that ‘safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child’ which by definition is the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development.’ (DfES 2005a, p11). Working together to safeguard children (HM Government 2005a p 19) state child protection as “the activity which is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm’’.The DfES (2005) have emphasised in their current legislation that ‘safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child’ which by definition is the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development.’

The earliest report of child abuse was in 1874 with the case of Mary Ellen McCormack, who was 10 years old and living in Manhattan at the time. This case brought attention to reformers who strived to prevent child abuse and protect victims, an effort that persists even today. The awareness of child abuse also prompted researchers to find a correlation between abuse and criminal behavior in adulthood. At the time of McCormack’s case, there were no laws protecting children from physical abuse from their parents. In late 1873, Mary Ellen McCormack caught the attention of her neighbors who realized how severely battered and neglected she was by her adoptive mother, Mary Connolly. The neighbors reported this to the Department of Public Charities and Correction, which was in charge of New York’s insane asylums, orphanages, jails, and public hospitals.

One of the criticisms of technocratic ideology is that it tends to exclude other ways of improving the skills of the workforce, for example, through staff development initiatives. History exemplifies that child protection policy and practice reform, predominantly have been shaped and driven by ideology and less so by research-based evidence Gray, Plath, & Webb, 2009; Sholnsky & Stern (2007). According to Gillingham, (2014) the explanation for this occurrence is that choosing research base evidence over ideology in policy and service practice reform is not always a simple and easy task to achieve and can result as history has shown in wrong causes of action taken and inadequate service provision, however, although it's useful to be aware of the challenging nature of using research base evidence and needs, be considered it should not be a deterrent for policy makers not to use research base evidence when creating reform.

Child abuse in the United States is a growing epidemic. Every year the number of reported cases, and missing children go up. This is caused mostly by lack of education about the different types of child abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Communities need to provide more resources to better educate the public about the types of abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Child abuse and neglect can be lessened by more resources, more education and to reach out to others.

The role of different agencies and professionals within the process of safeguarding children and young people are the police which failed during this case because they did not share information with any agency to protect and safeguard Daniel Pelka and that the domestic violence was a risk to