Navigation to Home, Links, and Contact info Link to Home Link to Links Link to Contact info
Wisconsin Clearinghouse Logo and link to home page  

Prevention

 Youth Development Programs Underage Drinking

Advocacy

 Resources  
   
      Calendars Evaluation Data & Statistics News Wisconsin State Prevention Conference Funding        
Partners
Around Wisconsin
Statistics & Research Links
Federal Sites
Topical Resources

Child Abuse & Neglect

 

Child abuse and neglect prevention programming:

  • Averts child maltreatment through services to families and their children.
  • Services increase parenting competence.
  • Services increase knowledge of the developmental stages of childhood.

The bulletin Prevention in Action: Tips from the Field, by the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) offers information, and suggestions for planning and improving child abuse prevention programs. Recommendations are outlined based on scientific evaluations and the recommendations of their peers, based on their effectiveness. Eight programs are highlighted as cost-effective and with highly significant results. Additional studies have been done that also contribute to what we know about child abuse prevention programs that work. The Children's Trust Fund provides a listing of those characteristics from the NCCAN research that defines the most effective child abuse programs. Further studies performed by the Children's Trust Fund reinforces these results. Successful child abuse programs engage in:

  • Collaboration
  • Program design matches community/target population's needs
  • Program has dynamic leadership and is appropriately staffed
  • Fund raising savvy
  • Community involvement
  • Program needs to be seen as credible and be accepted by clients
  • Possible barriers are accounted for
  • Universal access
  • Appropriate labeling
  • Location of program
  • Appropriate intensity, duration and format are considered
  • Evaluation has to be incorporated
  • Ability to recruit and retain clients

One form of child abuse prevention may be Family Preservation and Family Support Services that focus on strengthening families, preventing abuse, and protecting children. Family support services are most often provided by community-based organizations, through community action, voluntary family activities, and activities that help families nurture children, alleviate stress, connect families and community resources and supportive networks, caregivers, early developmental screening of children to identify their needs, tutoring, health education for youth, and a range of center-based activities.

Funding for Family Preservation and Family Support Services is $295 million in FY 2000. For FY 2001, the Clinton Administration has requested $305 million for these services. Ongoing research through demonstration programs identify the best means of preventing maltreatment and treating troubled families. Federal funding is $18.028 million in FY 2000. The Administration requests the same amount for FY 2001.