NCJ Number
49102
Date Published
1976
Length
76 pages
Annotation
ONE OF THREE FEDERALLY FUNDED DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS CONCERNED WITH IDENTIFYING AND INTERVENING IN CASES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED AFTER 2 YEARS OF OPERATION.
Abstract
THE SCAN PROGRAM IN BROOKLYN N.Y., ENCOMPASSES THE IDENTIFICATION OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN, THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT, ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT OF POTENTIAL OR SUSPECTED ABUSE OR NEGLECT, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING WITH CHILDREN AND PARENTS, STAFF ORIENTATION AND TRAINING, AND COORDINATION OF THE RESOURCES OF SCHOOLS AND OTHER AGENCIES. SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM ARE ITS EMPHASIS ON SERVICES TO FAMILIES NOT REFERABLE TO OTHER AGENCIES AS ABUSE OR NEGLECT CASES, AND ITS PHYSICAL LOCATION IN A SCHOOL SETTING. OF 225 CHILDREN REFERRED TO THE PROJECT BY COMMUNITY AGENCIES, SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND THE BUREAU OF CHILD WELFARE, TWO-THIRDS WERE FROM FAMILIES WHO REQUIRED PREVENTIVE SUPPORT SERVICES, I.E., SERVICES FOR POTENTIALLY ABUSIVE/NEGLECTING FAMILIES. EVALUATION FINDINGS SHOW THAT POTENTIAL AND SUSPECTED ABUSE/NEGLECT FAMILIES DID NOT DIFFER IN ATTITUDE BEFORE OR AFTER SCAN INTERVENTION, BUT THAT THE SUSPECTED GROUP SHOWED A GREATER CHANGE IN ATTITUDE THAN DID THE POTENTIAL GROUP OVER THE COURSE OF INTERVENTION. PROGRAM STAFF PERCEIVED A SMALL CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AMONG THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WITH WHOM THEY WORKED. THE PROGRAM IS CONCLUDED TO BE MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ALLEVIATION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT THROUGH EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND PREVENTION. EVALUATION MATERIALS (INCLUDING THE SOCIOEMOTIONAL RATING SCALE AND GUARDIAN ATTITUDE SCALE DEVELOPED BY PROJECT STAFF), GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING SUSPECTED ABUSE/NEGLECT, OTHER PROJECT MATERIALS, SUPPORTING DATA, AND AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)