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Thesis (M Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / 277 leaves single sided printed, preliminary pages i-xv and numbered pages 1-255. Includes bibliography, list of tables and figures. Used a Hp Scanjet 8250 Scanner to pdf format(OCR). / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The purpose of the research for this assignment was to establish and provide guidelines as well as techniques according to which social workers, who are involved in family welfare organisations, will be able not only to assess molested children in their middle childhood, but also to plan and introduce the required intervention. To achieve the aforementioned, use was made of a literature survey in terms of which all aspects of sexual molestation that need to be considered whilst handling molested children as well as the phases and processes of assessing such molestations, are discussed. Techniques are also proposed according to which such assessments could be performed. Following this study the empirical research was utilised by means of exploratory and descriptive studies. To obtain the required information, data was collected by means of a postal (mail) questionnaire containing quantitative as well as qualitative questions. This research has shown that social workers do not regard themselves as adequately equipped in handling cases involving sexually molested children. Their (social workers) knowledge and skills in terms of the areas relating to service delivery came across as being poor. The respondents agreed that the shortage of resources restricted the referral of these cases. This results in social workers having to treat such cases themselves. It is apparent that knowledge regarding the handling of molested children is mostly gained by practical experience. Assessments are often carried out without the required theoretical background. This contributes to findings and actions taken not always being scientifically substantiated, resulting in a lack of professional conduct. The study also shows that the training and conduct of social workers, especially as it relates to the assessing of sexually molested children which could lead to statutory action in terms of the Children's Status Act 82 of 1987 (as amended) as well as the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957, are lacking. No clear guidelines and policy are stipulated in this instance by the family welfare organisations. Based on the findings of this research the deduction is made that social workers, despite the statutory obligation they have towards a sexually molested child, do not possess the necessary skills or are not equipped with the competence required to execute the task on hand. In this regard social workers have a significant need to learn and be given the required competence, as organisations and tertiary institutions currently do not equip them adequately or effectively. Recommendations relative to the assessment of sexually molested children have been made to tertiary institutions, organisations and social workers. Opportunities for further research are also indicated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om riglyne en tegnieke voor te stel waarvolgens maatskaplike werkers werksaam by gesinsorgorganisasies gemolesteerde kinders in hulle middelkinderjare kan assesseer en intervensie kan beplan. Om daarin te slaag, is 'n literatuurstudie ondemeem ten opsigte van alle aspekte van seksuele molestering wat in ag geneem moet word in die hantering van gemolesteerde kinders. Die fases en prosesse van assessering word bespreek en tegnieke word voorgestel waarvolgens die assessering gedoen kan word. Daarna is die empiriese ondersoek onderneem deur middel van 'n verkennende en beskrywende studie. Posvraelyste, bestaande uit kwantitatiewe sowel as kwalitatiewe vrae, is benut vir data-insameling. Die navorsing het getoon dat maatskaplike werkers hulleself nie bekwaam ag in die hantering van seksueel gemolesteerde kinders nie. Hulle kennis en vaardighede ten opsigte van die area van dienslewering kom swak voor. Die respondente was dit eens dat 'n tekort aan hulpbronne verwysing van die gevalle bemoeilik, wat meebring dat maatskaplike werkers die gevalle self moet hanteer. Dit is duidelik dat kennis ten opsigte van die hantering van gemolesteerde kinders meestal deur middel van praktykervaring verkry word. Assessering word dikwels sonder die nodige teoretiese agtergrond uitgevoer wat meebring dat bevindinge en optrede nie altyd wetenskaplik verklaarbaar is nie en daartoe lei dat daar 'n tekort aan professionele optrede is. Die navorsing toon voorts dat maatskaplike werkers se opleiding en optrede ten opsigte van die assessering van seksueel gemolesteerde kinders vir statutere optrede ingevolge die Wet op Kindersorg (Wet 74 van 1983 soos gewysig) sowel as die Wet op Seksuele Misdrywe (Wet 23 van 1957) veral tekort skiet. Geen duidelike riglyne en beleid word in die verband deur gesinsorgorganisasies neergelê nie. Na aanleiding van die bevindinge word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat maatskaplike werkers, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle 'n statutêre verpligting teenoor die seksueel gemolesteerde kind het, nie oor die nodige bevoegdheid beskik om die taak uit te voer nie. Maatskaplike werkers toon 'n groot leerbehoefte in die verband, aangesien gesinsorgorganisasies en opleidingsinstellings hulle tans nie genoegsaam toerus nie. Aanbevelings ten opsigte van die assessering van seksueel gemolesteerde kinders word aan opleidingsinstansies, gesinsorgorganisasies en maatskaplike werkers gemaak. Moontlikhede vir verdere navorsing word ook vermeld.

Reported cases of incest in Multnomah County, Oregon, as in the rest of the country, are increasing yearly. Effective networking between agencies is important in order to successfully work with the problem. The research problem of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the present network of agencies working with incest in Multnomah County. In order to evaluate network effectiveness the following objectives were established: to provide a "cultural" description of the major components of the Multnomah County network; to determine whether a common definition of incest among practitioners exists and to compare the networking system in this county with others throughout the country.

It was recommended by the American Psychological Association and the American Bar Association in October 1999, that the time had come for psychologists to do more than act as expert witnesses, and that their influence should be felt " ... at the first level of intervention" (Foxhall, 2000, p. 1). The first level of intervention is considered, in this study, to be the decision-making process. This research examines the decision-making processes used by four of the disciplines integral to the child abuse multi-disciplinary team. Social workers, child protection officers of the South African Police Services, psychologists and prosecutors currently involved in the child abuse arena in South Africa were given case vignettes to anchor their decision-making on simulated examples. On the basis of these in-depth interviews, using a Grounded Theory methodology, three specific questions are addressed, namely: how decisions are made and substantiated; how they differ across disciplines; and how they compare to recommended protocol. Results indicate interesting differences across these four disciplines. The differences between the decision-making processes in the disciplines seem to be rooted in their philosophical tenets, which give rise to specific aims in addressing child abuse. Differences between the decision-making processes and recommended protocol were also noted in cases where guidelines are available. In addition differences in expected outcomes of the vignettes, use ofassumptions and a level of mistrust between professionals was shown. If this research can help to sensitise professionals to begin to understand their own decision-making processes and those of their fellow decision-makers, then perhaps key role players and policy makers may be one step closer to responding to the challenge of child sexual abuse in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

M.Sc. (Psychology) / Increasing attention has over the past decade been directed at sexual abuse in the form of media exposure and the formation of specialised units for the protection of children's rights. In this manner the South African Police Service have, since the first Child Protection Unit was formed in 1986, established units country wide in an attempt to erradicate this phenomenon. An overwiew of the literature makes it apparent that there are lots of conflicting opinions pertaining to sexual molestation. Not only do researchers differ in their definitions of sexual molestation but also on the incidence, typology and ethiology thereof. Flowing from the diverse and far reaching consequences suffered by the victim coupled to the accompanied legal and ethical aspects, child molestation presents as an extremely complex phenomenon to fully address. The Child Protection Unit of the South African Police Service thus appears to be the most appropriate place for the handling of child molestation because of the law inforcement context thereof. The goal of the study was thus to identify the needs of this unit in an effort to help the unit achieve the highest possible standards of effectiveness. To realise this study a phenomenological investigative method was used in the form of a need assessment questionnaire which was sent to the Johannesburg and Pretoria units. Data was collected in the form of completed questionnaires and was evaluated and interpreted in a qualitative manner. Needs determined, amongst others, were for more extensive training in specialised areas as well as a need for the direct involvement of a social worker and a psychologist at the Child Protection Unit. The above mentioned needs in conjunction with other identified needs and criticism voiced by the respondents, formed the basis for the recommendations proposed at the end of this thesis.

M.A. (Sociology) / South Africa's child protection system is widely reported to be in disarray, delivering deficient and fragmented services, which facilitate the occurrence of 'secondary abuse, compounded by the lack of information on the prevailing scenario in the country. This research study formed part of a national development project, aimed at investigating and improving the delivery of integrated child protection services. The study focused on the current levels of service delivery and the need for services integration in a multi-disciplinary, intersectoral system. Employing a multi-methodology Intervention Research strategy, the conceptual framework for the investigation was based on an open systems perspective. The research findings, generated by a national situation analysis of provincial and sectoral service providers, confirmed the interrelated prevalence of both inefficient service delivery levels and the urgent need for the integration of services. The results facilitated the drafting of provincial strategies, aimed at the improvement of service delivery and the inductive construction of a generic provincial model, while a national conference of service providers generated a proposed national integration strategy, based on a process model. The research has not only contributed towards the integration of child protection services, but also to the current transformation of the child protection system in South Africa.

The increasing number of children who have reentered foster care is a pervasive problem today. The present study examined the recovery of substance-dependent parents and the length of time between reunification and a maltreatment recurrence event.

Childhood abuse, whether physical or sexual, is a major public health issue. The most recent United States data from Child Protective Services (CPS) show that in 2013 there were 3.5 million referrals of child maltreatment involving 6.4 million children. Out of these cases, 18% were for physical abuse and 9% were for sexual abuse. However, researchers argue that CPS data grossly underestimate the prevalence of childhood abuse as most childhood abuse goes unreported. Indeed, to date, the true prevalence of childhood abuse remains unknown as research has been hampered by inconsistent definitions of abuse and wide variation in methodologies including measures for its identification and modes of administration of these measures. Although a health care visit presents an opportunity to identify a childhood abuse history, health care providers frequently fail to ask about it. The reasons doctors give for not asking about abuse include lack of training, not knowing how to ask, and lack of familiarity with practical methods for screening that can be used in primary care settings. There is little to no research on effective means for identifying childhood abuse histories, especially in the adolescent and young adult population, or on how different modes of administration of screens to identify childhood abuse compare to each other. The net result is that most childhood physical and sexual abuse is never identified and many victims do not get the needed services to help them heal. When unaddressed, childhood abuse has negative impacts on victims’ health and wellbeing over the life course. Prior studies of adults show that when compared with non-victims of abuse, victims tend to perceive their health as poorer and utilize more health care services including emergency room and urgent outpatient care. These studies also suggest that adult victims use less routine and preventive care than non-victims. Only two studies, conducted among widely different adolescent populations, have examined how adolescent victims perceive their health. Similarly, limited evidence examining perception of health is available for young adults. These studies found that victims perceive their health as poorer than non-victims. There have been no adolescent-specific studies of how victimization impacts adolescents’ utilization of health care. One study includes participants ages 15 to 98 years and only two studies focusing on this issue in samples primarily of young adults attending college have been published. These studies found that victims utilize more health care than non-victims. Therefore, we lack a sufficient body of evidence to come to clear conclusions of how childhood abuse affects self-perceived health in adolescents and young adults. The general lack of evidence about both how childhood abuse impacts perception of health and utilization of health care in adolescents and young adults indicates a need for further study. Given that little is known about how to best identify an abuse history in adolescents and young adults and the impact of abuse on perception of health and utilization of health care, this dissertation pursued three aims: (1) to review the literature comparing modes of administration of screens to identify adolescent and young adult victims of childhood physical and sexual abuse; (2) to investigate how different modes of administration of screens to identify adolescent and young adult victims of childhood physical abuse within a primary care health setting compare to each other, and; (3) to examine the association of a history of childhood abuse (defined as none, physical only, and sexual with or without physical) with perceived health status and the health care utilization patterns among adolescents and young adults. For aim 1, a comprehensive literature review was conducted via PubMed of studies, published between January 1st, 1994 and December 31st, 2014 that compared modes of administration of screens to identify a history of childhood physical and sexual abuse in adolescents and young adults. Only one study was found. This study compared paper and pencil questionnaire, computer assisted survey, and face to face structured interview in the identification of childhood physical and sexual abuse among young adults in a college setting. No significant difference in the proportion of childhood physical abuse or childhood sexual abuse was identified by mode of administration. The identification through this search of only one study – which was conducted among college students, with no studies done among adolescents – shows a significant gap in our knowledge regarding this issue. Given that understanding how to identify childhood abuse is a critical issue, this gap is disturbing and underscores the need for studies of identification of childhood abuse to be a research priority. For aim 2, a sample of participants, ages 12-24 years, receiving health services at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York City were randomized to one of four modes of administration to identify a history of childhood physical abuse. The four modes of administration of screens to identify childhood abuse were paper and pencil screen, Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview screen (ACASI), face to face structured screen and face to face unstructured interview. The full sample also completed measures to assess demographic characteristics and to screen for depression symptoms. Of the sample, 44.5% of the participants disclosed childhood physical abuse. There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of childhood physical abuse identified according to mode of administration: face to face unstructured interview identified the highest proportion of childhood physical abuse victims, followed by face to face structured screen. After adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, depression, living arrangement and last grade completed, the odds of identifying physical abuse was 1.6 (95%CI: 1.0, 2.7) and 4.5 (95%CI: 2.6, 7.8) greater for face to face structured screen and for face to face unstructured interview, respectively as compared to paper and pencil screen. ACASI and paper and pencil were similar to each other but inferior to the face to face methods. For aim 3, in addition to what was measured for aim 2, the sample completed measures on a history of childhood sexual abuse and perceived health and health care utilization. The sample was then categorized into three groups: no abuse, physical abuse only, and sexual abuse with or without physical abuse. The association of childhood abuse status with perceived health and health care utilization were examined. There was no statistical significant association between a history of childhood abuse status and perceived health. However, the odds of reporting a fair/poor perception of health among those reporting childhood abuse were at least 40% lower regardless of whether the abuse was physical (OR: 0.60; 95%CI: 0.3,1.2) or sexual (OR: 0.50; 95%CI: 0.2,1.1). No significant association was found between childhood abuse status and health care utilization. However, the odds of victims reporting using urgent care only versus routine care only were at least 10% lower regardless of whether the abuse was physical (OR: 0.50; 95%CI: 0.3, 1.1) or sexual (OR: 0.90; 95%CI: 0.4,1.9). The odds of reporting using both urgent and routine care versus routine care only was similar between victims and non-victims for physical abuse (OR: 1.0; 95%CI: 0.6, 1.5) and was 30% higher for victims of sexual abuse (OR: 1.3; 95%CI: 0.8, 2.2). The findings from the three aims examined identified significant gaps in our knowledge on childhood abuse among adolescents and young adults suggesting an urgent need for further research. While much research has focused on the impact of childhood abuse on health and well-being, aim 1 reveals that little is known about which mode of administration of screens to identify childhood abuse is most effective in the identification of childhood abuse in adolescent and young adults. Furthermore, we know even less about what modes of administration of screens might be practical in primary care settings, or what must be done to improve the level of screening for childhood abuse by physicians and other health care providers. Although the findings from aim 2 suggest that face to face modes of administration are most effective in screening for childhood physical abuse in primary care settings, further studies are needed to support these findings. In addition, there is a need for studies that examine what are the best methods to use to identify childhood sexual abuse in primary care settings. The findings from aim 3 suggest that adolescents and young adults with a history of childhood physical and sexual abuse, receiving health care at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, do not perceive their health as worse than non-victims nor do they appear to utilize health care differently from non-victims. These findings contrast with results from prior studies of perceived health status and health care utilization among adolescents and young adult childhood abuse victims. Understanding how abuse impacts both the perception of health and health care utilization will be crucial in the development of interventions to identify and support adolescent and young adult victims of childhood physical and sexual abuse.

This positivist research project will attempt to show a correlation between levels of child neglect and proportionate levels of methamphetamine abuse. The term abuse will be used to refer to the chronic, compulsive use of methamphetamine in such a manner, that it will assume a central and negative role in the individual's life style and will result in impaired functioning and parenting.

The current study investigated characteristics and case variables of sexually abused male children, and how those variables affect the outcome of cases investigated by Child Protective Services. Data was obtained from the RIverside County Department of Social Services, Child Welfare System/Case Management System. It was found that the largest percentages of perpetrators were the siblings of the victims.