[ Browse by Service Category : Topics Related to Children's Protective Services (4) ]
Child Abuse Prevention
Programs, often offered in the schools or in other community settings, that attempt to protect children from physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse or exploitation through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on children of various ages, parents, people who work with children and/or the community at large. The sessions may offer suggestions for children and/or parents regarding ways of avoiding or handling an abusive or potentially abusive situation and/or information about the indicators and incidence of abuse, requirements for reporting abuse and community resources that are available to children who have been abused and to their families.
Child Advocacy Centres
Programs that operate centres which facilitate a multidisciplinary approach to the investigation and treatment of child abuse cases. Services generally include videotaped interviews of child abuse victims in safe, child-friendly surroundings to avoid multiple interviews, reduce the trauma of disclosure and preserve statements for court purposes; crisis intervention and emotional support for victims and non-offending family members; forensic medical examinations; psychotherapy services including play therapy, family therapy and individual counselling for parents; support groups; case management; and interdisciplinary review of cases by teams of professionals including law enforcement, children's protective services, prosecution, medical, mental health, victim assistance, and child advocacy personnel.
Child Abuse Medical Evaluations
Hospitals and clinics with multidisciplinary teams that conduct historical interviews and physical examinations of children to determine whether there are injuries or other forms of physical evidence that are consistent with neglect, emotional deprivation/failure to thrive, or physical or sexual abuse that constitute the battered child syndrome. Historical information supplied by the child in the medical interview may be used to establish a case for child abuse even in the absence of physical evidence.
Child Abuse Counselling
Child Abuse Hotlines
Programs that provide immediate assistance for parents who have abused or fear they may abuse their children with the objective of defusing the parent's anger and frustration and ensuring the child's future safety through referrals for ongoing support and treatment. Also included may be services for abused children and concerned others who are in need of advice, guidance and/or emotional support. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.