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Child Neglect: A Guide for Intervention
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Author(s):
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Gaudin, J. M., Jr. |
Year Published: 1993 |
Glossary of Terms
Acute Malnourishment the condition by which the child's development is significantly impeded due to inadequate nutritional intake.
Attachment Theory a developmental theory that emphasizes the relationship between an infant and its caretaker(s). Attachment theory states that the preliminary framework for relationship patterns is established through early childhood relationships, but this framework is subject to change throughout an individual's lifetime.
Behavioral Theory the theory that attempts to explain the cause'effect relationship between the class of stimulus variables and response variables, with reinforcement stimuli increasing behaviors and punishment stimuli decreasing behaviors.
Burnout syndrome that manifests itself in symptoms of physical illness or fatigue, emotional exhaustion, a sense of failure in personal accomplishment, and depersonalization of social and professional interactions.
Case Plan the casework document that outlines the outcomes and goals necessary to be achieved to reduce the risk of maltreatment.
Case Planning the stage of the CPS case process whereby the CPS caseworker develops a case plan with the family members.
Child Neglect the failure of a parent or caretaker responsible for the child's care to provide minimally adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision, and/or medical care for the child.
Child Protective Services (CPS) the designated social service agency (in most States) to receive reports, investigate, and provide rehabilitation services to children and families with problems of child maltreatment. Frequently, this agency is located within larger public social service agencies, such as Departments of Social or Human Services.
Cognitive Theory as an adjunct to behavioral theory, cognitive or cognitive'behavioral approaches aim to change behavior by changing an individual's cognition (i.e., awareness, perceptions).
Evaluation of Family Progress the stage of the child protection case process, following the implementation of the case plan, when the CPS caseworker and other treatment providers evaluate and measure changes in the family behaviors and conditions which led to the child abuse or neglect, monitor risk elimination and reduction, and determine when services are no longer necessary.
Family Assessment the stage of the child protection process when the CPS caseworker, community treatment providers, and the family reach a mutual understanding regarding the most critical needs to be addressed and the strengths on which to build.
Family Systems Theory a view of how family members interact with one another in relationship patterns that promote and/or accommodate the functioning of the family as a unit (or system).
Family-Focused Intervention intervention that includes all family members, rather than focusing on one individual primary care provider. This approach targets the whole family as a dysfunctional unit, not just one individual within that unit.
Initial Assessment the stage of the child protection case process when the CPS caseworker and other social services personnel determine the validity of the child maltreatment report, assess the risk of maltreatment, and determine the safety of the child and the need for further intervention. Frequently, medical, mental health, law enforcement, and other community providers are involved in assisting in the initial assessment.
Multiservice Intervention the delivery of a broad range of community services available from multiple providers combined with individual counseling, individual and group parenting education, and family therapy.
Nonorganic Failure To Thrive the condition observed in children whose physical development is recorded at below the third percentile in height or weight for that specific age and for which there is no known medical reason.
Paraprofessional a trained aide who assists a professional person, such as a teacher or physician.
Primary Prevention activities targeting a sample of the general population in which to prevent child abuse and neglect from occurring.
Psychotherapy a method of treatment designed to produce a response by mental rather than physical stimulus, it includes the use of suggestion, persuasion, reeducation, reassurance, and support as well as hypnosis and psychoanalysis.
Risk Assessment the use of checklists, matrices, standardized scales, and other measurement techniques to determine the likelihood that the child will be maltreated in the future.
Secondary Prevention activities that are designed to prevent breakdown and dysfunction among families that have been identified as at risk for child abuse and neglect.
Service/Treatment Plan the casework document developed between the CPS caseworker and the client that outlines the tasks necessary to be accomplished by all parties to achieve goals and outcomes necessary for risk reduction.
Substantiated/Founded a CPS determination that credible evidence exists that child abuse or neglect has occurred.
Termination of Parental Rights a legal proceeding to free a child from a parent's legal custody so that the child can be adopted by others. The legal basis for termination of rights differs from State to State, but most consider the failure of the parent to support or communicate with the child for a specified period of time, parental failure to improve home conditions, extreme or repeated neglect or abuse, parental incapacity to care for the child, or extreme deterioration of the parent'child relationship as grounds for termination of parental rights.
Tertiary Prevention treatment efforts designed to address situations in which child maltreatment has already occurred with the goals of preventing child maltreatment from occurring in the future and avoiding the harmful effects of child maltreatment.
Unsubstantiated/Unfounded a CPS determination that credible evidence does not exist that child abuse or neglect has occurred.
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