Literature by topic
Costs of child abuse
A league table of child maltreatment deaths in rich
nations.
Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2003,
40p, figures, tables (Innocenti report card no.5 Sept 2003), tables,
figures, and Online (PDF 268 KB)
http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/repcard5e.pdf
This publication is the fifth in a series of Innocenti Report Cards, designed to monitor the performance of the industrialised nations in meeting the needs of their children. This publication presents and analyses league tables ranking the performance of rich nations against critical indicators of child well being. The number of children dying as a result of child abuse are analysed according to the age at which the risk is greatest. Information is also given about countries with both very low and high incidences of death as a result of maltreatment. Inconsistencies of classification and a lack of common definitions and research methodologies mean that little internationally comparable data exist and that the extent of child maltreatment is almost certainly under represented by the statistics.
Available from: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre. Email florence@unicef.org Internet http://www.unicef-icdc.org
Ainsworth, Frank; Hansen, Patricia.
Five tumultuous years in Australian child protection: little
progress.
Child and Family Social Work v.11 no.1 Feb 2006: 33-41,
tables
How effective are current mandatory reporting processes? This paper summarises organisational and legislative changes in this area since 2002 and reviews child protection data for 2003 - 2004 from all Australian jurisdictions except New South Wales. The paper focuses on the costs and the lack of effectiveness of the current approaches to the detection of child abuse.
Available from: Blackwell Publishing
Briggs, Freda.
Every school's worst
nightmare: child sexual abuse.
Adelaide, SA: University of
Adelaide, 2005, 19p (2005 A W Jones Oration)
Ways of uncovering and investigating sexual abuse in schools are discussed in this paper. The paper looks at the size of the problem, normal sexual curiosity versus evidence of sexual abuse, the value of children's drawings in the identification of sexual abuse, why sexual abuse cannot be ignored, the economic cost of child abuse, the importance of teachers in child protection, the cost of negligence, the importance of school based child protection curriculum, the special needs of boys, risks to children with disabilities, the abuse of Indigenous children and young people, and school child protection policies. The paper argues that education is the key to child protection.
Available from: University of Adelaide, SA 5005. Internet http://www.adelaide.edu.au
Hay, David A.
One child in 33 is a
twin or higher multiple: using the LSAC data to identify the needs of
multiple birth families.
In: 2007 Longitudinal Study of Australian
Children Research Conference. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of
Family Studies, 2007, 36p, Online (Power Point Presentation in PDF format
3.9MB)
http://www.aifs.gov.au/growingup/conf/2007/DavidHay.pdf
This presentation highlights some of the problems facing twins and multiple birth siblings and their families, which will be able to be analysed within 'Growing Up in Australia, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children' (LSAC). The author outlines the rise in the rate of multiple births in the last few decades, the high risk rates of congenital disorders and speech and reading problems, low birth weights, the high risk rates of postnatal depression by mothers and child abuse, and increased pregnancy and child rearing costs.
Available from: Growing Up in Australia http://www.aifs.gov.au/growingup/
Izmir, Gul; Robinson, Nicola.
Benefit
assessments in child welfare.
Ashfield, NSW: NSW Department of
Community Services, Economics, Research and Information Directorate,
2004, 33p (Technical report no.1), and Online (PDF 452 KB)
http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/benefits/assessment_report.pdf
A literature review on benefit assessments in child welfare and related fields is presented in this report, which then examines methods for undertaking benefit assessments of the services funded by the New South Wales Department of Community Services. The report analyses three market based valuation techniques, the surrogate market technique, and three survey based valuation techniques. These valuation techniques may be used individually or in combination to carry out program evaluation and make program funding decisions.
Available from: NSW Department of Community Services, Ashfield NSW 2131. Internet http://www.community.nsw.gov.au
Jokovich, E.
Breaking the silence on
abuse.
Rattler no.65 Autumn 2003: 11-14
Child abuse was highlighted during 2002 with allegations that a number of churches and institutions had covered up incidents of child sexual abuse. In this article the author examines the history of child abuse in Australia and welcomes the end of Australia's period of silence.
Available from: Community Child Care Co-operative, Locked Bag 19, Newtown NSW 2042. Email info@ccccnsw.org.au. Internet http://www.ccccnsw.org.au/
Kovacs, Katie; Richardson, Nick.
The
economic costs of child abuse.
Melbourne, Vic: National Child
Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2004,
3p (Child abuse prevention resource sheet no.2), Online only
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs2/rs2.html
Information on money spent directly on providing services to children who had experienced, or who were at risk of experiencing, child abuse and neglect in Australia is summarised. The publication looks at: how much Australia spends on child protection and child abuse prevention; how much South Australia spends on child protection; what the long term costs of child abuse are; and the direct and long term costs of child abuse and neglect in the United States.
Available from: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/
McHugh, Marilyn.
Indirect costs of
fostering and their impact on carers.
Communities, Children and
Families Australia v.2 no.1 Apr 2007: 73-85
Volunteer foster carers receive an allowance to help meet the direct costs of fostering children. Most foster care programs assume the services of the carer are essentially free. Preliminary analysis of a study of foster carers indicates that carers incur indirect costs, including: opportunity costs in foregone earnings; time costs from primary care work; and the emotional and psychological costs of caring. This raises a key question for policy makers: Can generalist fostering services in Australia be maintained on a volunteer basis, or should carers receive a payment? The concept of paying foster carers is complex and controversial. This paper presents the perceptions of foster carers interviewed and discusses some policy issues. (Journal abstract, edited)
Available from: Australian College for Child and Family Protection Practitioners Email accfpp@bigpond.net.au
Murphy, Paul T; Pike, Lisbeth T.
The
Columbus Pilot Project: developing a model for cost-outcome analysis on
violence and child abuse cases in the Family Court of Western
Australia.
Journal of Family Studies v.9 no.2 Oct 2003: 235-247,
tables, figure
This article begins by summarising the Columbus Pilot Project, designed to evaluate a managed interdisciplinary approach to cases of domestic violence and child abuse in the Family Court of Western Australia. A working hypothesis informing the project is that, compared with traditional litigation processes, a managed interdisciplinary approach to these cases will yield outcomes more consistent with children's best interests at lower long-term cost to families, the community, and the Court. The main focus of the article is a progress report on evaluation design issues associated with mapping the costs in these cases. (Journal abstract)
Available from: School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora Vic 3083. Email L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au
Pinto, Anna.
Seeds of tyranny: child
abuse and neglect: strategic social engineering, collateral damage: the
experience and evidence of Indigenous children.
In: Blossoming of
our children: 10th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect:
papers, presentations and abstracts. Christchurch, NZ: New Zealand
Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2006, 9p, Online
http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/accan/speakers/pinto.shtml
Rates of child abuse and neglect are not decreasing. This presentation suggests that the occurrence of systemic violence against children is integral to our social structures. It considers the costs, fallout and payoff of child abuse.
Available from: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/
Richardson, Nick.
Foster care.
Melbourne, Vic: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian
Institute of Family Studies, 2004, 6p (Child abuse prevention resource
sheet no.8), Online only
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs8/rs8.html
This resource sheet presents a background to foster care in Australia, followed by a discussion of how many children live in out of home care in Australia, what percentage of those children live in foster care and how many Indigenous children live in out of home care. The document also looks at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, what types of placements Indigenous children live in, how foster carers are reimbursed, what foster care costs, and some of the key issues and challenges currently facing foster care in Australia.
Available from: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/
Robinson, Nicola.
Findings of a cost
benefit analysis of the Department of Community Services Restoration
Project.
In: Australian Social Policy Conference 2007. Sydney, NSW:
Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2007, 10p,
Online only (PDF 64 KB)
http://www.sprc1.sprc.unsw.edu.au/ASPC2007/abstract.asp?PaperID=221
This paper presents the cost-benefit analysis of family reunification program implemented in 2002 at a Community Service Centre in Campbelltown, New South Wales. The Restoration Project is a service model aimed at increasing the number of out-of-home-care children being restored to their natural families, by improving parenting skills, coordinating services such as for accommodation and drug counselling, and working with the child. The paper discusses the background of the project; the additional and net costs and benefits per child; additional caseworker time and government allowances; and comparisons with projects from other Community Service Centres.
Available from: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/
Tucci, Joe; Mitchell, Janise; Goddard, Chris.
The changing face of parenting: exploring the attitudes of
parents in contemporary Australia.
Ringwood, Vic: Australian
Childhood Foundation, 2005, 27p, tables, and Online (PDF 2.99 MB)
http://nla.gov.au/nla.arc-44084-20060125-0000-www.kidscount.com.au/downloads/The%20Changing%20Face%20of%20Parenting.pdf
A national study exploring issues of concern for parents was carried out as part of the Every Child is Important program. This report covers the study methodology and discusses the following findings: importance of getting parenting right; fear of criticism acts as a barrier to parents asking for support; children are growing up too fast; marketing to children; the costs of raising children; balancing work and family; the use of technology to keep in touch; protecting children; parenting techniques; teaching children right from wrong; physical punishment; talking about sex; and concerns about improving parents' relationships with their children.
Available from: Australian Childhood Foundation, PO Box 525, Ringwood Vic 3134. Email info@childhood.org.au. Internet http://www.aaca.com.au/
Watters, Annette Jones, Principal Investigator
The costs of child abuse vs. child abuse prevention: Alabama's experience
Centre for Business and Economc Research, Unversity of Alabama, 2007
The purpose of this study is to document the costs to the taxpayers of Alabama. To evaluate the costs of child abuse on the Alabama economy it is necessary to examine both the direct costs of intervention (those costs associated with the immediate needs of abused or neglected children) and indirect costs (those costs associated with the long-term and/or secondary effects of child abuse and neglect). The act of abuse or neglect not only affects the child's present status but continues to affect his way of living throughout his course of life. Child abuse and neglect causes severe damage to the child as an individual and to society as a whole. This study's goal is to estimate the monetary cost of child abuse in the state of Alabama through the use of secondary data.
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