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| What is child abuse and neglect? |
Child maltreatment includes physical abuse, child neglect and sexual abuse. Physical abuse is defined as
bodily injury to a child resulting in skin bruising, bleeding, burns, fracture of any bone, bleeding within the skull, soft
tissue swelling, failure to thrive, malnutrition, or death, when the injury is not otherwise justifiably explained. A
neglected child is one without proper prenatal care, and/or who lacks subsistence, education, medical or other care necessary for the child’s well being due to the conduct or omission of the parents, guardian or other custodian. Sexual abuse includes rape, molestation, incest, prostitution or pornographic activities or other similar form of sexual exploitation harming or threatening a child.
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| What causes child abuse and neglect? |
Child abuse and neglect are complex and multidimensional problems. Experts agree that they occur
as a result of multiple risk factors that interact and reinforce each other. The existence of any risk
factor in a child's life does not guarantee abuse of the child, just that the potential for abuse is greater. Child abuse
and neglect risk factors can be grouped into categories:
Child Abuse Risk Factors Characteristics of the Child
(This is not to suggest that the child is responsible for
his own abuse. Children with the following characteristics may be more challenging to care for, resulting in stress
and frustration for parents or caregivers who lack education or support for
parenting.)
- Child was born premature, with birth anomalies, at a low birth weight, or exposed to toxins in utero
- Child has a difficult or slow-to-warm-up temperament
- Child has a physical, cognitive or emotional disability
- Child has a chronic or serious illness,
- Child is less than 5 years old (children under 4 years of age account for over 75% of child abuse and neglect deaths)
- Childhood trauma Child is aggressive, has behavior problems or attention deficits
Characteristics of the Parents / Family
- Parent had insecure attachment with own parents
- Parent was abused as a child
- Lack of parenting knowledge
- Parent has unrealistic expectations about child development
- Family is socially or geographically isolated or lacks support
- Parent has a mental illness or disorder
- Parent has substance abuse issues
- Marital conflict
- Domestic violence
- Teen parenthood
- Parents have a generally high stress level
- Family has a heavy childcare responsibility due to several preschool aged children
- Parent has any of the following personality factors:
- external locus of control
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poor impulse control
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low tolerance for frustration
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feelings of insecurity
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lack of trust
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unmet emotional needs
Characteristics of the Environment
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Low socioeconomic status
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Stressful life events Lack of access to:
- medical care
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health insurance
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adequate child care
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social services
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emotional support
- Parental unemployment
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Homelessness
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Exposure to racism or discrimination
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Poor schools
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Exposure to environmental toxins
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Dangerous or violent neighborhood Community violence
This is not an all-inclusive or exhaustive list. The existence of these factors in a child's life does not mean the child will suffer from abuse, just that the potential for abuse or neglect is greater than if these factors did not exist in the child's life.
Source: National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm
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| What strenghtens families and protects children from child abuse and neglect? |
See Protective Factors for
Promoting Healthy Families.
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| Statistics |
South Carolina ranks 46th in the overall well-being of children in the 2008 Kids Count
State Profiles of Child Well-Being.1 |
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South Carolina ranks 47th in percent of babies born at low birthweight.1
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South Carolina ranks 47th in infant mortality.1
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Types of Abuse and Neglect*
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| Neglect and Medical Neglect |
71.2% |
| Physical Abuse |
32.3% |
| Sexual Abuse |
8.5% |
| Psychological and Other Maltreatment |
1.5% |
*Percentages may not total 100% because abuse or neglect can be reported in one or more categories3
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A child in South Carolina is born into poverty every 50 minutes.2
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16,898 reports of child abuse or
neglect.(this number is estimated to be
three times higher making it closer to 50,694)5
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4,894 children in foster care and
53,881 children being raised by
their grandparents.2
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In 2004, there were 33 abuse and
neglect child fatalities in South Carolina.2
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A child or teen in South Carolina is killed by gunfire every week.2
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45% or
461,115 of South Carolina´s
children are living in low in-come households
(below 200% of poverty)1
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9,950 Child Victims
(The actual number is estimated at three times the
reported number)3
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Young adults in foster care, on average are
placed 8 times before exiting the foster care system. 4
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On average, youth spend 5 years in foster care during one “episode” (youth
may be in foster care more than once) before exiting the system.4
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Reaching the age of maturity and no longer being able to receive services was the number
one cause for exiting the foster care system
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- 80% Reached age of maturity,4
- 7% Runaway,4
- 18.6% Emancipation4
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Sources
1) Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2008 Kids Count Data Book. { 1st
represents the best state for children and 50th represents the worst
state for children}.
2) The Children´s Defense Fund, South Carolina State Report May 2006.
3) DHHS, Children´s Bureau Child Maltreatment 2004
4) Preliminary Data November 2006 of the Data Warehouse Pilot Study of Youth Who
Exit South Carolina Foster Care at Age 18 or Older During Calendar Year 2005
5) South Carolina Department of Social Services, 2005-2006
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