Mayor Adrian Fenty says that city social workers are working to find every child that may be subjected to abuse. Closed CPS cases are being re-opened to locate children and ensure resolutions are applied to existing problems. Since the Jack family murders, reports to CPS hotlines have increased in the Washington DC area. The number of investigations has increased and social workers are working long hours to pursue these cases. Decision-making policies are being restructured to widen the safety net and lower the threshold for suspected abuse of children.
There is no single factor has been identified as the cause of child abuse. In general, there is an interaction of multiple risk factors in the environment that place children at risk to be victims of abuse. Researchers have identified abusive parents or caregivers as having risk factors such as substance abuse, low self-esteem, mental or physical disability, depression, history of abuse as a child, poor coping skills, poor impulse control, history of violent behavior or history of being raised in a group setting with no positive parental role.
All children are potential victims of child abuse, but some factors increase the risk for a child to be abused. Children with disabilities are twice as likely to be emotionally, physically or sexually abused. Children with behavioral disorders that manifest as aggression or temper tantrums are at an increased risk to be abused. Please call The Keane Law Firm if you have a child that has sustained severe injury as a victim of abuse.
