Teach

Think back to your childhood. Can you think of a time when you felt completely safe? Hold an image of the place or the experience in your mind. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What sensations do you feel? What emotions does it evoke? Who is there with you? What do they do to make you feel safe?

For some of us, this might be an easy exercise. Some childhoods were full of safe and happy memories from which to choose. For others of us, though, this exercise is challenging. There might be few times when we experienced a feeling of complete safety, and those times might be shaded by memories of other, uncomfortable or scary experiences or events. All of us, regardless of our backgrounds, likely feel a sense of gratitude toward those people and places who helped us feel safe.

There is a growing body of evidence that these moments, these relationships, these safe places where we feel loved and protected can make all the difference in our lives. Consider Sara’s story:

Sara’s story reminds us of several important ideas. First, all parents love their children very much and are doing the best they can. This is important to remember when we begin working with families. Second, the parent-child bond is strong even in the most difficult relationships — children love their parents. Third, history is not destiny: children who were mistreated do not all grow up to abuse their own children. Fourth, unconditional love makes a big difference in a child’s life. It is easy to imagine that Sara probably also had many other people rooting for her and helping her succeed. Love from a parent is critical, but extended family, neighbors, teachers, social workers, and counselors can all contribute to safe, stable, and nurturing relationships.

Clearly, relationships are the first and most important foundation in a child’s life. Sara had a relationship with her parents, but it is also likely that she had strong relationships with other adults around her: teachers, coaches, or neighbors. These relationships helped Sara bounce back from the challenges she encountered. As a program leader, you have an important opportunity to ensure each child has meaningful relationships like Sara did. You help staff members develop secure relationships with the children in your programs. It is never too early or too late for a child to build connections with adults around them. These relationships help children see adults as trusted figures. Children are reminded that adults care about them and can help in times of need. Relationships also help staff understand each child deeply and help them act in each child’s best interests. This includes taking important steps to prevent child abuse and neglect in your program.

As you remember from the Child Abuse: Identification & Reporting course, child abuse and neglect can be institutional as well as familial. This means child abuse and neglect can happen in your program. This lesson will review the concept of institutional abuse and neglect. The remaining lessons in this course will help you learn specific strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect in your program.

You have already completed a course on identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect, and you will continue to have regular professional development on this topic throughout your career. Let’s just take a few moments to review the major definitions of child abuse and neglect.

What is Child Abuse and Neglect?

Federal law defines child abuse and neglect as:

Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

Source: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320), § 3.

The Department of Defense (DoDI 6400.01, 2019) defines child abuse and neglect as follows:

The physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect of a child by a parent, guardian, foster parent, or by a caregiver, whether the caregiver is intrafamilial or extrafamilial, under circumstances indicating the child’s welfare is harmed or threatened. Such acts by a sibling, other family member, or other person shall be deemed child abuse only when the individual is providing care under express or implied agreement with the parent, guardian, or foster parent. A child is an unmarried person under 18 years of age for whom a parent, guardian, foster parent, caregiver, employee of a residential facility or any staff person providing out-of-home care is legally responsible. The term child means a biological child, adopted child, stepchild, foster child, ward, a sponsor’s family member (except the sponsor’s spouse) of any age who is incapable of self-support because of mental or physical incapacity, and for whom treatment in a DoD medical treatment program is authorized.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the military Family Advocacy Program, child abuse and neglect generally falls into one of these four categories:

What Risk Factors are Associated With Abuse and Neglect?

Child abuse occurs across every ethnicity, culture, religion, socioeconomic group, and at all educational levels. Experts have identified common factors that may increase the risk of experiencing or perpetrating child abuse or neglect. These include:

• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Difficulties controlling emotions, words, or behaviors
• Harsh approach to discipline
• Mental health issues
• Little knowledge of child development
• History of maltreatment as a child

When a child is abused or neglected by a parent, guardian, or family member, it is called familial abuse. This type of abuse typically happens in the child’s home.

When a child is abused or neglected by someone else in a supervisory role (like a teacher, coach, or community member), it is called institutional or out-of-home abuse. The Department of Defense is committed to making sure each and every child is safe while in its programs. The remainder of this course will focus on ways to make sure children are never mistreated in your program. You will learn frameworks, strategies, and supports for helping to make this happen.

What is Institutional Abuse and Neglect?

Institutional abuse or neglect occurs outside the home in community or private settings. This type of abuse or neglect is also known as “out-of-home” or “extra-familial” abuse or neglect.MIL Throughout the rest of this course, institutional abuse will refer to abuse or neglect which may occur in Department of Defense-sponsored facilities, programs, or activities. This course will focus on abuse or neglect which may occur in child development centers, family child care homes, sponsored field trips, and school-age care programs. Remember, though, that institutional abuse can also occur in installation homework or computer centers, mentoring or tutoring programs, sports programs, chapel programs, scouts, Morale Welfare and Recreation programs, teen centers and youth programs. This type of abuse typically involves a child and an adult in a supervisory role, like a teacher, caregiver, or volunteer.

Model

How Can Child Abuse and Neglect be Prevented in Programs?

The lessons that follow in this course will describe specific strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect in your program. To begin this course, though, take a few moments to think about yourself and how you can get ready for the important work you will do with staff and children. Think about how you will go about (a) ensuring staff know why and how to form relationships and (b) forming your own bonds with staff, children, and families. Consider the following relationship-building strategies (Masterson, 2022):

• Listen intentionally. Give your full attention to staff when you’re with them. Encourage open communication between yourself and staff members. Open your door. Walk around the program often. Say hello. When someone needs to talk to you, make the time.
• Build energy around learning. Be curious. Ask staff to share their successes and joys from the day. Celebrate small victories and evidence of child growth and learning. Encourage stories and sharing that build connections and ideas between staff.
• Learn about what motivates staff. Ask questions and observe thoughtfully. What makes staff members “light up”? What do they want from their jobs?
• Stay strength based. Pay attention to your own language—whether you’re talking about yourself or others. Your attitude sets the tone for others in the program. Be in the business of building human potential.
• Ask staff to weigh in on important decisions. Ask staff members about their views on the issues that affect them in the program. Work with management to set up systems that let staff members have a voice in program decisions. Ask questions like, “What have I missed?” or “What else will help us all understand this situation?” Also seek their feedback: “What will make this plan work for you?”
• Create an inclusive environment. Work to ensure all staff feel a sense of safety and belonging in the program. Have honest conversations and set collaborative goals for building an anti-bias program.
• Support problem solving. Express value for dissenting views. Make sure staff members know they are safe to express their opinions without fear of reprisal.
• Ensure staff members have the resources they need. Ask, “What support or resources do you need as you move forward?” Staff members will trust you more when they know you are committed to helping them get what they need—and that you do so in a timely manner.

Observe

Next, understand that every person has strengths they can draw upon to prevent child abuse and neglect. These are known as protective factors. You learned about the Strengthening Families protective factors in the Child Abuse Identification and Reporting course. You can review the Protective Factors Framework by visiting https://cssp.org/our-work/projects/protective-factors-framework/. The table below provides an overview of the protective factors that are important in your work with families and, as you will learn, important in your own efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect in center settings.

The same protective factors that help families cope with challenges apply to all of us as adults. Let’s explore each of the protective factors and how they might apply to your work with staff members. This material has been adapted from the Preventing Child Maltreatment and Promoting Well-Being: A Network for Action 2013 Resource Guide by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Adult resilience: We all need the ability to cope with the stresses of everyday life. In the context of this particular course, let’s think about the stresses associated with suspecting and reporting child abuse or neglect. Staff may feel stress that they are unable to protect a child. They may feel stress over their relationship with the family. They may feel stress about their reputation in the program or the program’s reputation in the community. The emotions staff feel may make them feel less capable of doing their jobs. Stress can reduce their capacity to think creatively, be patient, problem solve, and try new skills – all strategies that are necessary in child development and school-age programs. The stress might make a staff member feel less capable of doing their job or less capable of protecting children. The stress may reduce their capacity to cope with the stresses of work and their own family lives. Each one of us has strengths we can draw upon: faith, flexibility, humor, communication skills, problem-solving skills, mutually supportive caring relationships, or the ability to identify and access outside resources (https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/). We can take the time to make sure we nurture and expand these strengths in ourselves and others. Build some time for fun into your program. Encourage one another.
• Knowledge of child development: It seems obvious, but understanding typical child development is critical for staff members. Unrealistic expectations for children’s behavior are major risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Make sure you help staff know what to expect from the children in your care. When you see unrealistic expectations, step in and counsel staff. In a stressful situation, this knowledge helps staff remain calm, recognize child development in action, and create a teachable moment. You will learn more in the lessons that follow.
• Social connections: Research suggests that strong social connections promote health, wellness, and longevity. Help staff members build strong relationships with one another and with families. Plan staff events: celebrations, meals, outings. Spend time getting to know one another and building trust. Also make sure there is some time during the day when staff members can talk to other adults. Make sure everyone gets the breaks they need and that there is time for relaxation and connection at some point each day. This will help you all do your jobs better.
• Concrete supports: We all need tools to help us do our jobs. It is OK—and important—to ask for help when it is needed. You are a resource for the staff members in your program. You know the curriculum or programming, you know the community, and you know the families. Provide the supports staff members need when they need it. Maybe they need help planning learning experiences, or maybe they need connected to a disability specialist. Know your staff members and help meet their needs. Also remember that they are not immune to stress outside of work, too. They might be experiencing any number of stressors at home. Seek out and use community resources, whether it’s assistance with filing taxes, finding quality health care, or job assistance for a spouse or partner.
• Social and emotional competence of children: This is the foundation of the work we do every day in child development and school-age programs. You will learn much more about this topic in the Social and Guidance courses. For now, understand your role as one of helping staff promote healthy relationships, communication skills, and self-expression.

Completing this Course

For more information on what to expect in this course and a list of the accompanying Learn, Explore and Apply resources and activities offered throughout the lessons, visit the Training & Curriculum Specialist Child Abuse: Prevention Course Guide.

To support the professional development of the direct care staff members or family child care providers you oversee, you can access their corresponding Course Guides:

• Infant & Toddler Child Abuse: Prevention Course Guide
• Preschool Child Abuse: Prevention Course Guide
• School-Age Child Abuse: Prevention Course Guide
• Family Child Care Child Abuse: Prevention Course Guide