Protecting children from abuse and neglect

Citing an estimated three million reports of suspected maltreatment, the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect declared a national emergency in the field of child protection in 1990. The Board's efforts culminated in the landmark 1993 report - Neighbors Helping Neighbors - a proposal for a new comprehensive, neighborhood-based, child-centered, family-focused child protection system, which represents a significant shift in focus from "When is it justifiable to intervene coercively?" to "What can be done to prevent harm to children?". The editors of this comprehensive volume are the principal architects of the proposed prevention strategy. They have brought together leading experts on child maltreatment to address its social, cultural, and economic precursors, as well as effective prevention and treatment. Focusing on ways to strengthen neighborhoods, build connections among and within families, and bolster economic and social supports, contributors offer practical advice for the development and implementation of programs and policies to prevent harm to children. To create a society-wide safety net in which child protection becomes a part of everyday life, their work propose