Beyond Maltreatment: Developing Support for Children in Multiproblem Families

52 Pages Posted: 22 Jan 2013 Last revised: 25 Jan 2013

Date Written: January 22, 2013

Abstract

In the United States, the role of government is very limited in regulating and monitoring child rearing. Unless a parent’s behavior falls below a standard that is considered abuse or neglect (maltreatment) there is no government oversight of parenting. Yet, there is good reason to believe that fifteen to twenty percent of all children in the United States live in homes where the quality of parenting puts them at risk of very poor outcomes during childhood and into adulthood. Only about a third of these families are brought under the supervision of the CPS system. No system has responsibility for trying to help children whose development is adversely affected by problematic parenting that does not involve harms that fall within the definition of maltreatment.

In this chapter, to be published in The Handbook on Child Maltreatment (Springer), I use an outcomes-focused framework to examine the types of state actions that might help all parents provide minimally adequate care. I identify three types of outcomes that we want to achieve for children; safety during childhood, economic and emotional health in adulthood, and academic achievement. I then look at the relationship of the quality of parenting a child receives and the likelihood that the child will achieve a given outcome. I divide inadequate parenting behaviors into two categories: a) parental behaviors that should be labeled maltreatment because they require intervention through the child protection system and b) other forms of highly inadequate parenting which should be addressed by systems other than CPS. I then examine the proper role of the CPS system, schools, and other social services in promoting the well-being of children. I conclude that none of these systems can adequately meet the needs of many children in homes where the parenting is highly inadequate. I therefore propose that a new system of coordinated services be created and explore the elements that should be included in such a system.

Keywords: child rearing, parents' behavior, maltreatment, problematic parenting, outcomes-focused framework, safety, economic and emotional health, academic achievement

JEL Classification: J13

Suggested Citation

Wald, Michael S., Beyond Maltreatment: Developing Support for Children in Multiproblem Families (January 22, 2013). Stanford Public Law Working Paper No. 2205471, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2205471 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2205471

Michael S. Wald (Contact Author)

Stanford Law School ( email )

559 Nathan Abbott Way
Stanford, CA 94305-8610
United States

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