Battered Child Syndrome Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Battered Child Syndrome - Term Paper Example Once Battered child syndrome is identified, ensuring the child's well-being is of vital importance. Despite a large number of reports that are being made, there is an abundance of research demonstrating that mandated reporters fail to report child abuse even when required and that there is considerable variability of reporting rates among professionals. The research indicates that there is a range of factors influencing reporting. Factors such as gender and education level of the reporter, fear of damaging the therapeutic relationship, the wording of reporting laws, and incomplete descriptions of what defines abuse have all contributed to discrepancies in reporting. Moreover, professionals often believe that the legal standard of reasonable suspicion is insufficient to demonstrate that abuse has occurred and therefore refrain from reporting. By 1967, almost all states had adopted some type of mandated child abuse reporting laws. These early laws were aimed primarily at physicians who came in contact with children in their medical practices. They served to help physicians identify possible abuse victims and established reporting procedures. These early laws were later expanded to include a variety of other professionals who have contact with children. The adoption of mandated reporting laws by the states was seen as one of the major contributors to the increase in identifying cases of child maltreatment. It also increased public awareness of the gravity and magnitude of child abuse (NACC, 2011).... It also increased public awareness of the gravity and magnitude of child abuse (NACC, 2011). In 1974, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was passed by Congress, which established national definitions of child abuse and neglect. Under this act, individual states had to adopt the CAPT A definitions in order to receive federal funding for their child welfare programs. The funding provided states with new resources for investigation and prevention of child abuse. One significant part of the act was the creation of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN). This organization compiled data on child abuse as well as providing information about child maltreatment and prevention (NACC, 2011). In 1991, the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 was passed by Congress, and served to advance efforts to investigate and prosecute cases involving child maltreatment. This act has been amended over the years (NACC, 2011). Following the initial enactment of this statute, in 1997 the Adoption and Safe Families Act (AFSA) was passed in an effort to provide more timely and focused assessment and services for children and families. AFSA set the time limit for reunification of children removed from their families to one year in an effort to protect children and promote attachment with caregivers. Reporting Behavior Research has addressed a number of criticisms professionals have made regarding challenges to reporting child maltreatment. Research reported that, the vagueness of statutes, although legally permissible, decreases professionals' ability to make consistent determinations about whether or not abuse has occurred. This inconsistency and uncertainty contributes to a subsequent lack of confidence about