Thesis advisor: Ann Burgess / Child abuse and neglect in the United States is a highly sensitive issue. According to federal statistics, 1,640 children died from child abuse and neglect in the United States during the fiscal year 2012 (U.S. DHHS et al., 2013). There are multiple theories on how to prevent abuse and protect children from maltreatment. Experts in the field of child welfare believe a critical element in the prevention of child abuse and neglect is parenting education and support services for at-risk populations.The twofold purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a parenting education program offered at Saint Joseph Parenting Center (SJPC) in Stamford, CT in promoting positive parenting behaviors through parenting education and to assess the level of client satisfaction with the teachers, staff, and overall experience at SJPC. The study analyzed data from surveys given to SJPC clients between April 19, 2010 and February 13, 2013. The sample consisted of 63 registered clients who completed at least ten classes before February 13, 2013. All 63 clients completed the client survey after completing ten classes and 42 clients completed the same survey a second time after completing twenty classes. Results from frequency analysis of the data indicated a reported increase in positive parenting behaviors since beginning the program and a reported decrease in negative parenting behaviors. An analysis of variance failed to reveal a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the 10-class and 20-class surveys. Frequency analysis of the surveys indicated a positive review of the teachers, staff, and overall experience at SJPC by clients. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are discussed. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Nursing.

This study investigated the relationship between maternal childhood experience of emotional abuse (CEA) and/or emotional neglect (CEN) and subsequent second-generation parenting outcomes. A systematic review of the literature was carried out, with twelve studies included for review. Evidence was found of a relationship between maternal experience of CEA/CEN and a negative impact on the subsequent parent-child relationship and parenting behaviours; including greater dysfunctional parent-child interactions, lower empathy, greater psychological control, greater child maltreatment potential and punitiveness. Evidence in relation to the impact on parenting competence was less robust. For practitioners, these findings highlight the importance of considering maternal childhood experiences when working with parents and when attempting to make sense of children's difficulties. Methodological weaknesses were highlighted and recommendations for future research made. Secondly, a cross-sectional study was carried out which explored whether early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) mediated the relationship between maternal CEA/CEN and attributions of perceived control over failure (PCF) in child care-giving interactions. Mothers (N=111) completed five self-report questionnaires in relation to the above. Multiple mediation analyses using bias corrected bootstrapping were carried out. In line with expectations, significant relationships were found between both CEA and CEN and EMSs. CEN also demonstrated both a direct and indirect effect on PCF score, via the EMSs Social Isolation/Alienation. However, the indirect effect was in the opposite direction to that predicted. No other indirect effects were found. CEA demonstrated neither a direct effect on PCF, nor an indirect effect via any of the EMSs. Results are discussed in the context of current research.

Pregnant women with substance use issues are a doubly at-risk group in desperate need of support. Using open-ended interviews, participant-observation, and media analysis, I examine the support provided by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Massachusetts for pregnant women who seek treatment at Project Empowerment. Project Empowerment provides prenatal care, maintenance therapy, and other services to expectant mothers who struggle with substance use issues. Drawing upon Foucault’s (1975) notion of surveillance, I explore how pregnant women with substance use issues are surveilled by agencies, and how these surveillance agencies structure their care and policies through their definitions of what it means to be a “good mother.” I argue that through the Department of Children and Families definition of the “good mother,” DCF produces an unintended paradox of support for pregnant women with substance use issues in Massachusetts.

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This project used a content analysis methodology to determine the agenda-setting capacity of the media to influence child welfare legislation in a state legislature. With a foundation in agenda-setting theory, this study identifies how the coverage of child abuse and neglect in the print media impacts decision-makers to introduce legislation related to child abuse and neglect. Through a comparison of the issues covered in the newspaper with the issues receiving legislative attention, this study showed that media influence varies by topic, with some topics being more open to media affects than others. A second component of this study analyzed how child abuse and neglect is portrayed in four newspapers circulating across the state. With an emphasis on identifying the types of issues that receive media attention in Virginia, this qualitative study showed key themes and patterns prevalent in child welfare coverage. The media demonstrates an affinity for covering episodic, micro-level instances of abuse, and thematic, macro-level systemic issues. These findings show media focus is concentrated on extreme and unusual cases of abuse and those issues that will evoke shock and emotion from the reader.

The theme of my work is domestic violence against seniors. This phenomenon represents a serious social problem that deserves our attention. The theoretical part deals the types and specifics of violence. I describe the dynamics of violence, which occurs in such a damaged relationship. I try to describe possible solutions of this problem. In my work is also a list of organizations which can seniors contact. The practical part includes research on public awareness at the age 50+ of elder abuse. Here we can find the myths that appear in society and also hinder victims begin to solve their situation. Each of us may encounter violence. We should be able to identify the problem and knowing where to go for help. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The main focus in this thesis lies in the observation of how the public debate is formulating and developing in Finland in relation to the current implementation of the Inquiry on historical child abuse and neglect in out-of-home care. This thesis analyses the testimonies published around the investigation and on historical child abuse, in the public domain. The release of two documentaries broadcasted on National TV (YLE TV1) in 2013 and 2014 triggered a, however scarce, online public discussion with few newspapers’ as well as magazines’ articles covering informatively the inquiry. The online debate has so far seen the participation mainly of the victims themselves of historical abuse. Generally, I found a confirmation that the Finnish individualistic culture is hardly prompt to open discussion on such topics. As S.N., a care leaver, explains in the second documentary: (Lehikoinen, Luurankokaappi, 2014) “the culture does not give space” though people have “the need to speak.” My thematic analysis on this debate has nonetheless disclosed an urge to come to terms with a past of institutional abuse, framed in a general context of public mistrust in the Child Welfare4 system. The care-leavers, narrating their stories in the two TV documentaries, disclosed memories of neglect, violence and systematical isolation of the Poor. Their stories are interpreted through the debate on the media as stories of injustice. Their narration portraits a concept of “child care” very far from nowadays’ standards of child welfare. Care-leaver H.S. points his finger on the Finnish child-care institution where he spent his childhood in the ‘50s: “Only a monster can send a child to such a place!” (Lehikoinen, Varastettu Lapsuus, 2013).

According to the Children's Bureau of Taiwan (2007), the number of Taiwanese children abused and neglected sharply increased from 6,059 to 10,094 between 2000 and 2006. Reports of abused and neglected children also rose from 8,494 to 13,986 in that period. This followed enactment of the Children and Youth Welfare Law in 2003 imposing a range of health, education and social welfare professionals, including nurses, the statutory duty to report suspected child abuse and neglect. Previous studies in Taiwan have indicated that despite the legislation, a range of factors continue to act against nurses reporting child abuse and neglect (CAN) cases according to the law. Previous research had examined factors that influence CAN reporting by health, education, and welfare professionals including registered nurses in Taiwan. The study herein sought to extend knowledge of these factors by identifying and assessing nurses' self-efficacy as a prime factor influencing professional commitment to legal reporting of CAN. The aims of this research were to: (1) examine influencing factors of nurses' likelihood to report CAN in Taiwanese health care settings, and (2) develop and test a new instrument Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Self Efficacy (CANRSE) to measure nurses' self-efficacy in CAN reporting. The research was conducted in two phases. Phase one investigated nurses' experience with CAN reporting and examined relationships between nurses' perceptions, attitudes, knowledge, and likelihood to report CAN cases. Two hundred and thirty-eight nurses from emergency departments, paediatric units and community centres in Taiwan completed a survey. The results showed that using a series of vignettes, a significant relationship existed between the likelihood to report CAN and perception, attitude, and knowledge. Notably, perception was the most significant variable in predicting nurses' likelihood to report CAN cases. Findings indicated nurses had poor perceptions of recognizing and reporting CAN and lacked faith in child protection services. Knowledge of Taiwanese CAN reporting laws was poor. In general, most nurses believed that they needed more training courses on the recognition and reporting of CAN. These findings, in particular the importance of perceptions of legal reporting behaviour, were worthy of further investigation. In Phase two, a measure of CANRSE was developed and tested. Data were collected from 496 nurses working in Taiwanese health care settings. Development of the CANRSE was guided by an extensive literature review, findings from Phase one of the study and by an expert panel. The CANRSE consisted of five sections: (1) demographic information, (2) efficacy-expectation for suspected cases, (3) efficacy-expectation for known cases, (4) outcome-expectation of CAN reporting, and (5) likelihood to report CAN. The influence of nurses' self-efficacy on their likelihood to report CAN cases was also analysed. Structure of the CANRSE was supported by structural equation modeling using AMOS 6.0. Additionally, correlation and regression analyses were applied to investigate the validity and reliability of the CANRSE. CANRSE met accepted psychometric standards for reliability and validity in this study. Nurses' CAN self-efficacy yielded strong prediction over personal characteristics, experience as a nurse, experience as a parent, and age. Thus, the research provides an important contribution to the literature relating to mandatory reporting by professional groups in particular nurses. It was the first research to successfully develop a new instrument to evaluate nurses' selfefficacy in CAN reporting. The findings provide a basis for understanding the influence of Taiwanese nurses' decision making for CAN reporting. Further research can extend the scope of CAN training programs and their evaluation.

My Diploma Thesis themed ``the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region within an intervention care{\crqq} has a research character. This thesis is divided into two large parts and consists of a theory and practice. The theoretical part is divided into five major chapters. The first one describes the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region. The second one is devoted to CAN syndrome. The third one deals with the most important legislation solving breaking of the basic children rights. In the fourth chapter I focus on family and the last one is devoted to divorces, serious child suits, solving of divorce suits in a Crisis centre. The practical part is research oriented. The aim of the thesis was to find out to what extent the intervention care is implemented in the work of the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region during a divorce period and after. In the first hypothesis I supposed that the clients who used the support to families in a difficult life situation in the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region managed to keep their role of parentage also after the divorce and finished conflicts and child manipulation. In the second hypothesis I supposed that clients managed to keep their role of parentage also after the divorce and finished conflicts and child manipulation regardless of being married, divorced or single and whether they care together for own or adopted child. To confirm or disconfirm the defined hypotheses I used the method of a questionnaire. The questionnaires were intended for employees of the Crisis centre for children and family, the clients of the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region and to public. I prepared a different type of questionnaire for each group. In total I handed out 115 questionnaires. All of them were returned to me. The return was 100%. The hypotheses are analysed at the end of the practical part. They were confirmed. In the conclusion of the thesis the knowledge based on the theoretical and practical parts are included. The last part includes annexes referring to the actual matters (e.g. an International co-operation within a child care, casuistry, the leaflet of the Crisis centre for children and family in the South Bohemian Region).

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