For Victims Of Child Abuse The Holidays Can Be The Worst
Around this time of year, it is impossible to go anywhere without hearing or seeing something reminding us to “give thanks” and to get into the “holiday” spirit. However, as the joy and excitement of the season spreads, so does the stress and anxiety that goes along with it. While it may seem strange to those of us who believe this is the “most wonderful time of the year,” for the victims of child abuse, it can actually be the worst.
With the stress of putting aside money for holiday meals and gifts, the additional events and expenses looming, coupled with children being home from school for an extended period of time, parents are often susceptible to losing control in an attempt to deal with the situation. During the holidays, emotions run high and tempers flare. As a result, these parents or caregivers often take their frustration out on their children rather than dealing with their anger in an appropriate manner.
Organizations nation-wide often report an increase in child abuse during the holiday season. For example, the organization Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee states that every year during the … Read More... “Child Abuse Increases During Holiday Season – But You Can Help!”
Summer is coming.
The key role of the child protective services (CPS) investigator is to determine if a child is at risk of harm. When a child is in immediate danger, CPS and/or law enforcement work to ensure the child’s safety. Often a safety plan is developed which will keep a child safe at home. When that is not possible the child may be taken into protective supervision.
On Thursday, October 18, 2012, I had the opportunity to visit the Haines Children’s Center located at 3304 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio, to meet with Ann Stevens, Public Information Coordinator of the 
A recent study identifies the nation’s most dangerous traffic intersection. It’s at Flamingo Road and Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The insurance company’s engineer who compiled the report notes that the intersection meets appropriate design standards and is regulated by traffic lights. He said traffic volume and driver error were two important factors in the high number of crashes.
We want to thank Daniel Pollack, a professor at Yeshiva University’s School of Social Work in New York City and a frequent expert witness in child welfare cases for sending an article he published “Homeschooling and Child Protection”, Policy & Practice (Feb. 2012). The issue that he wrote about is an important one in the child welfare world and one that has hit home in real life recently in Dayton, Ohio. We have adapted this blog article in large part from Professor Pollack’s article.
Water. It can be so much fun, but oh so dangerous. The National Safe Kids Campaign (2004) reports that “drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1–14 and the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1–4. The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools and in open water sites.” Furthermore, in 2004, “approximately 2,300 children ages 14 and under died from unintentional injuries that occurred in the home. Nearly 80 percent of these deaths were among children ages 4 and under.”