According to the Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act, child maltreatment is defined as “the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of 18 by a person who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances which indicate the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby” (Watkins and Bradbard 1982). Maltreatment is a function of parental stress and frustration (Watkins and Bradbard 1982); stress and frustration can include but are not limited to income and employment or unemployment. The maltreatment of a child causes detrimental effects to one’s cognitive development. Government agencies typically intervene in child maltreatment cases that are reported, but
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Although child abuse and neglect occur in families of all income brackets, cases of child maltreatment are drawn disproportionately from lower-income families. We see more child maltreatment in lower income families (English 1998). The 1993 National Incidence Study found the strongest correlate of incidence across categories of child maltreatment to be family income (English 1998). The highest incidence of child neglect is in families living in the most extreme poverty. Child neglect encompasses physical, emotional, medical, hygiene, educational, and not protecting the child (Tudoran and Boglut 2015). The most severe injuries resulting from child maltreatment occur in the poorest families (Baumrind …show more content…
Three common types of child maltreatment, neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse can all be attributed to lower socioeconomic status. Families who live in poverty or struggle with household finances are more likely to neglect or abuse their children due to stress. The effects of child maltreatment are severe and long term, some of the effects include: higher aggressive tendencies, higher likelihood of delinquent or criminal activity, a higher risk of mental illnesses, and a lower IQ. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect and properly care for and nurture our future, children; it first starts by reporting alleged abuse to a government agency that will determine the validity and severity of the
Although child abuse and neglect occur in families of all income brackets, cases of child maltreatment are drawn disproportionately from lower-income families. We see more child maltreatment in lower income families (English 1998). The 1993 National Incidence Study found the strongest correlate of incidence across categories of child maltreatment to be family income (English 1998). The highest incidence of child neglect is in families living in the most extreme poverty. Child neglect encompasses physical, emotional, medical, hygiene, educational, and not protecting the child (Tudoran and Boglut 2015). The most severe injuries resulting from child maltreatment occur in the poorest families (Baumrind …show more content…
Three common types of child maltreatment, neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse can all be attributed to lower socioeconomic status. Families who live in poverty or struggle with household finances are more likely to neglect or abuse their children due to stress. The effects of child maltreatment are severe and long term, some of the effects include: higher aggressive tendencies, higher likelihood of delinquent or criminal activity, a higher risk of mental illnesses, and a lower IQ. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect and properly care for and nurture our future, children; it first starts by reporting alleged abuse to a government agency that will determine the validity and severity of the