Child Abuse and Neglect Resources

Definitions:

• Child Maltreatment Surveillance Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elementspdf icon
  This document is a set of recommendations designed to promote consistency in the use of terminology and data collection related to child abuse and neglect.

Fact Sheet:

• Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect pdf icon[480 KB, 2 Pages, 508]
  CDC’s fact sheet that includes definitions, consequences, and prevention strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect.

CDC Reports:

• Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence pdf icon[4 MB, 40 Pages, 508]
  This is a resource to help states and communities leverage the best available evidence to prevent ACEs from happening in the first place as well as lessen harms when ACEs do occur. It features six strategies drawn from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence.
• Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Links Among Multiple Forms of Violence pdf icon[2.51 MB, 16 Pages, 508]
  The Division of Violence Prevention’s 5-year vision and areas of strategic focus to help us understand, respond to, and prevent violence across the lifespan.

• Effective Strategies to Support Positive Parenting in Community Health Centers pdf icon[955 KB, 21 Pages, Print Only]external icon
  This report published by the American Psychological Association, identifies and recommends public health strategies and interventions based on the best available science to prevent child abuse and neglect and to promote positive parenting practices within the context of behavioral health integration at community health centers.
• Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014 [9.38 MB, 292 Pages, Print Only]external icon
  The Global status report on violence prevention 2014, which reflects data from 133 countries, is the first report of its kind to assess national efforts to address interpersonal violence, namely child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner and sexual violence, and elder abuse.
• Parent Training Programs: Insight for Practitioners pdf icon[615 KB, 16 Pages, 508]
  This document summarizes the findings of a meta-analysis to identify components associated with more effective and less effective parent training program and provides evidence-based guidance for practitioners who work with parents and families to improve parenting skills and prevent child abuse and neglect.
• Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities pdf icon[3.69 MB, 52 Pages, 508]
  CDC’s technical package that identifies a number of strategies based on the best available evidence to help states and communities prevent and reduce child abuse and neglect. Also available in Spanish pdf icon[21 MB, 52 Pages, 508]

• Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations: Getting Started on Policies and Procedures pdf icon[4.56 MB, 55 Pages, 508]
  Assists youth-serving organizations as they begin to adopt prevention strategies for child sexual abuse.
• World Report on Violence and Health Ch.3 Child Abuse and Neglect by Parents and Other Caregivers pdf icon[176 KB, Pages, Print Only]external icon
  This report is the first comprehensive review of violence on a global scale. Chapter 3 provides detailed information about child abuse and neglect, including prevention strategies.

CDC Data Sources:

• Child Health Statistics
  CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics provides information on the health status of children in the United States.
• National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)
  NVDRS links information about the “who, when, where, and how” from data on violent deaths and provides insights about “why” they occurred. This enables policy makers and community leaders to make informed decisions about violence prevention programs, including those that address child abuse and neglect.
• Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)
  WISQARS is an interactive online database that provides national fatal and nonfatal injury, violent death, and cost of injury data.

Other Federal Data Sources:

• Administration for Children and Familiesexternal icon
  The Administration for Children and Families provides state and national data on child abuse and neglect. Their findings are summarized each year in an annual report.
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)external icon
  NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.
• National Survey of Children’s Healthexternal icon
  The survey, funded by the Health Resources Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau, provides national and state level estimates of key measures of child health and well-being.

Non-Federal Data Sources:

• Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Centerexternal icon
  This organization provides data and statistics on the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children.
• Child Trends Data Bankexternal icon
  Child Trends is a non-profit research organization focused on improving the lives and prospects of children, youth, and their families.
• The National Maternal Child Health Center for Child Death Reviewexternal icon
  This organization provides data on child deaths and has links to other related data sources on their website.
• National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN)external icon
  NDACAN gets microdata from leading researchers and national data collection efforts and makes these datasets available to the research community for secondary analysis.

CDC Resources:

• Child Development
  CDC’s Web page on child development includes information on developmental milestones, screening, and positive parenting.
• Developmental Milestones
  Interactive web resource developed by CDC’s Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities to support parents and caregivers understand important child development milestones.
• Essentials for Childhood
  Framework proposes strategies that communities can consider to promote the types of relationships and environments that help children grow to be healthy and productive citizens so that they, in turn, can build stronger and safer families and communities for their children.
• Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers
  CDC’s Web resource on strategies parents can use to help build a safe, stable, and nurturing relationship with their child. Includes information on common parenting challenges and solutions. Also available Spanish.
• Preventing Abusive Head Trauma in Children
  CDC’s Web page includes information on how to prevent abusive head trauma, a Guide for State Health Departments, and a Guide for Journalists, as well as links to additional information, expert commentary, and video resources.
• Parent’s Portal
  A wealth of information from across all of CDC, covering everything from safety at home and the community to immunization schedules and developmental milestones.

CDC Trainings and Tools:

• Connecting the Dots
  A free, online training that helps users implement prevention strategies that address shared risk and protective factors across multiple forms of violence.
• EvaluACTION
  A tool designed for people interested in learning about program evaluation and how to apply it to their work.
• Making the Case: Engaging Businesses
  A free online resource that explains how users and their communities can work with the business sector to assure safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families.
• Principles of Prevention
  Online training on how to apply key concepts of primary prevention, the public health approach, and the social-ecological model for violence prevention work.
• Understanding Evidence
  Interactive Web resource developed by CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention to support public health practitioners in making evidence-informed decisions around violence prevention.

For more free, online trainings, tools, and resources, see CDC’s VetoViolence website. 

Other Federal Resources:

• Administration for Children and Familiesexternal icon
  The Administration for Children and Families, within the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
• Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureauexternal icon
  The Children’s Bureau is designed for professionals concerned with child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and adoption.
• Child Welfare Information Gatewayexternal icon
  The Child Welfare Information Gateway (a merger of the former National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and National Adoption Information Clearinghouse) provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families.
• FRIENDS National Resource Centerexternal icon
  FRIENDS National Resource Center is a federally mandated Training and Technical Assistance Provider for agencies working to prevent child abuse.
• Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhoodexternal icon
  The Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood is a five-year project to generate and disseminate new knowledge and robust evidence about programs and strategies that contribute to child abuse and neglect prevention.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – Project LAUNCHexternal icon
  Project LAUNCH, a grant program of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, seeks to promote the wellness of young children birth to age eight. It focuses on improving the systems that serve young children with the goal of helping all children reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones.

Additional Online Resources:

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)external icon
  AAP and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
• American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)external icon
  APSAC is a nonprofit national organization focused on meeting the needs of professionals engaged in all aspects of services for maltreated children and their families.
• California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC)external icon
  CEBC identifies and disseminates information about child welfare practices in an effort to improve the lives of children and families.
• Center for the Study of Social Policyexternal icon
  The Center’s mission is to create new ideas and promote public policies that produce equal opportunities and better futures for all children and families, especially those most often left behind.
• Children’s Safety Network – National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Centerexternal icon
  The Children’s Safety Network provides resources and technical assistance to maternal and child health agencies and organizations seeking to reduce unintentional injuries and violence toward children and adolescents.
• Childhelp®USAexternal icon
  Childhelp^® is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect. The Childhelp^® National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
• Child Welfare League of Americaexternal icon
  The Child Welfare League of America assists more than 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a range of services.
• Community Guideexternal icon
  This guide provides systematic reviews of interventions, including home visitation programs like Nurse-Family Partnerships.
• FrameWorks Instituteexternal icon
  The FrameWorks Institute has conducted communications research on how people think about children’s issues, including child development and parenting.
• International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)external icon
  ISPCAN is committed to increasing public awareness of all forms of violence against children, developing activities to prevent such violence, and promoting the rights of children in all regions of the world.
• National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Fundsexternal icon
  The National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds is a membership organization that provides training, technical assistance and peer consulting opportunities to state Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds to strengthen efforts to prevent child abuse.
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Childrenexternal icon
  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides assistance to parents, children, law enforcement, schools, and the community in recovering missing children and raising public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation. The Center operates a 24-hour hotline to report missing and exploited children  (1-800-THE-LOST).
• National Center for Fatality Review and Preventionexternal icon
  The National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention is a resource center for state and local child death review programs. It promotes, supports, and enhances child death review methodology and activities at the state, community, and national levels.
• The National Children’s Advocacy Center’s Child Abuse Library Online (CALiO)external icon
  CALiO of the National Children’s Advocacy Center is one of the largest professional collections of published knowledge, educational materials and resources related to child abuse and neglect in the United States.
• National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitationexternal icon
  The National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation consists of more than 30 key organizations and issue experts whose mission is to prevent child sexual exploitation.
• National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)external icon
  NICWA addresses the issues of child abuse and neglect through training, research, public policy, and grassroots community development.
• The National Center for Fatality Review and Preventionexternal icon
  This organization promotes, supports, and enhances child death review methodology and activities at the state, community, and national levels.
• National Scientific Council on the Developing Childexternal icon
  The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child is a multi-disciplinary collaboration comprising leading scholars in neuroscience, early childhood development, pediatrics, and economics.
• Prevent Child Abuse Americaexternal icon
  Prevent Child Abuse America works to prevent abuse and neglect of our nation’s children and helps provide healthy, safe and nurturing experiences for more than 100,000 families every year.
• Promising Practices Networkexternal icon
  This network provides summaries of proven and promising programs and other reviewed programs. The site contains issue briefs that summarize the research on a variety of topics, such as child abuse and neglect, practices, and head start.
• Shaken Baby Allianceexternal icon
  The Shaken Baby Alliance collaborates with community agencies and professionals to provide support for victim families (including adoptive and foster parents) of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), to advocate justice for SBS victims, and to increase awareness of the problem.
• STOP IT NOW!external icon
  Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families, and communities to take actions that protect children, especially before they are harmed. Stop It Now!’s confidential, national toll-free HELPLINE (1.888.PREVENT) offers support, resources, and referrals to adults with questions or concerns about sexualized behavior toward children.
• Text4babyexternal icon
  Text4baby is a free mobile information service designed to promote healthy birth outcomes and to reduce infant mortality among underserved populations. Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish) will receive free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth.
• Zero to Threeexternal icon
  The mission of Zero to Three is to support the healthy development and well-being of infants, toddlers and their families.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
CDC’s web page that provides information about Adverse Childhood Experiences. See the Adverse Childhood Experiences Resources, Journal Articles, and Presentation Graphics web pages for all resources related to Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Essentials for Childhood
CDC’s web page that provides information about the Essentials for Childhood Framework. See the Essentials for Childhood web page for all resources related to the Essentials for Childhood Framework.

CDC Reports:

• Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma: Recommended Definitions for Public Health Surveillance and Research pdf icon[1.6 MB, 56 Pages,508]
  This publication improves the quality and consistency of data collected on abusive head trauma in children.
• Journalists’ Guide to Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Preventable Tragedy pdf icon[733 KB, 12 Pages, 508]
  This guide gives journalists and other media professionals access to resources needed to effectively cover the story of shaken baby syndrome as a public health issue. The guide provides tips on coping with a crying baby and educates parents and caregivers on ways to calm down when frustrated by a crying baby.

Other Resources:

• CDC/Medscape Expert Commentary. Shaken Baby Syndrome: Making the Diagnosisexternal icon (Video)
  (Free login required through Medscape to view the video)
  Video provides expert commentary on shaken baby syndrome, the diagnostic indicators used to identify infants who have been shaken, and ways to prevent this tragic form of child abuse.

Downloadable Public Service Announcements (PSAs):

• Coping with Crying 1 PSA (:30)
• Coping with Crying 2 PSA (:30)
• Coping with Crying 3 PSA (:30)
• Coping with Crying 4 PSA (:30)
• Qué hacer cuando el bebé llora 2 PSA (:30) (Coping with Crying 2)
• Qué hacer cuando el bebé llora 3 PSA (:30) (Coping with Crying 3)

Violence Against Children Surveys
CDC’s web page that provides information about the Violence Against Children Surveys. See the Violence Against Children Surveys Publications and Resources web pages for all resources related to the Violence Against Children Surveys.