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Child Neglect: A Case Study

Decent Essays

There are many risk factors for whether or not a child will experience neglect. These can include lower maternal age, lower maternal education, maternal depression and the child’s temperament (Kotch et al 1995; DePanfilis 2006). Family risk factors include whether or not the parents are married and the size of the family (Kotch et al 1995). Sociodemographic risks include living in poverty, parental unemployment, the neighborhood, parental beliefs on punishment, parents’ attitudes toward the child (ren), and their overall skills as parents (Kotch et al 1995). Parents who abuse substances such as drugs and alcohol also put their children at a higher risk for neglect (Barth 2009). It is critical for parents to be physically and mentally healthy …show more content…

Albert Bandura wrote on the idea of learning through direct or indirect observations (1971). This idea of social learning is also used in prevention and intervention programs for child neglect. One of these programs is the Triple-P positive parenting program which has a goal of helping parents with the full scope of parenting including children’s health and behavior issues (Barth 2009). The program has five levels of intervention that provide varying levels of intensity and services to families. The five principles guiding the program that are imperative in positive parenting are: 1) ensure a safe and engaging environment, 2) create a positive learning environment 3) use assertive discipline, 4) set realistic expectations, and 5) be able to take care of oneself as a parent (Barth 2009). The last principle is important, because parents must first take care of themselves before they can adequately care for their children. That is, the parent must be “self-regulatory”, so that they can improve their child’s behaviors through his or her own actions (Barth 2009). This program was found to be successful for parents and their families. Out of a study of 100,000 of children under age eight years old, there were 340 fewer cases of maltreatment and 240 fewer cases of children having to be removed from their homes (Barth …show more content…

Other successful research on the prevention of child neglect builds on the necessity in developing a healthy and secure attachment. Researchers argue that proactive programs are superior in terms of results compared to programs that are reactive (Pillhofer et al 2015). The Ulm Model was developed to improve parenting and enhance attachment through a short-term behavior-oriented intervention that integrated attachment theory with the concept of self-regulatory behavior. This study used home visits to videotape mothers interacting with their infants. A worker would then review the footage with the mother and provide feedback as to what she was doing well, and where she could improve (Pillhofer et al 2015). The study found that after the intervention, mothers showed enhanced sensitivity that remained at the end of the study and at additional follow-ups (Pillhofer et al

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