October 2003Vol. 4, No. 8New Resources on the Domestic Violence-Child Maltreatment Connection
Research indicates 30 to 60 percent of families involved with the child welfare system also experience domestic violence. In order to serve these children and families effectively, child welfare workers need to be aware of the issue and know how to help.
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) website recently added a new "In the Spotlight" area addressing all forms of family violence, including child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse. The site offers information on statistics, existing and pending legislation, publications, State and local programs, training and technical assistance, and funding opportunities. The resources can be accessed at www.ncjrs.org/family_violence/summary.html.
Additional Resources for Research and Practice
Research
- The September 2003 issue of Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, "Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: Current Status and Research Directions," presents findings from a 3-day workshop on children exposed to violence held in July 2002. The table of contents for this issue can be found online at http://ipsapp009.kluweronline.com/ips/frames/frames.asp?J=4578&cookie=1. (This link is no longer available; information can be found at http://springerlink.metapress.com.) Individual articles may be purchased from Kluwer Online (www.kluweronline.com).
- The Journal of Emotional Abuse also published a special issue on the topic. The table of contents for "Prevention and Intervention for Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence" (Volume 3, Numbers 3/4) is available on the Haworth Press website at www.haworthpress.com/Store/Toc/J135v03n03_TOC.pdf.
- An article published in the August issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology shows children who witness their parents using violence against each other or who regularly receive harsh punishment are at greater risk of being involved in an abusive relationship as an adult. These findings are the result of a 20-year study of 543 randomly selected children and their mothers. The full text of the article is available on the American Psychological Association website at www.apa.org/journals/ccp/press_releases/august_2003/ccp714741.html.
Practice
- A new publication by the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, Children and Domestic Violence: A Bulletin for Professionals addresses the impact of domestic violence on children and resulting implications for professional practice. Resources such as websites and publications are also listed. The bulletin is online at http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/factsheets/domesticviolence.cfm or can be ordered by contacting the Clearinghouse at (800) 394-3366 or nccanch@caliber.com.
- The May 2003 issue of Practice Notes, a publication for North Carolina's child welfare workers, provides an introduction to domestic violence and offers practical suggestions for talking with and protecting adults and children struggling with this issue. A publication of the Jordan Institute for Families at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work, Practice Notes is available at http://ssw.unc.edu/fcrp/cspn/cspn.htm.
Related Items
Read more about the link between domestic violence and child maltreatment in previous issues of Children's Bureau Express:
- "Pilot Initiative in New York City to Better Support Families Affected by Domestic Violence" (August/September 2002)
- "News from the Child Welfare Training Resources (CWTR) Online Network: Issues in Domestic Violence Videotape Training Program" (May 2002)
- "Abused Boys and Sons of Battered Mothers More Likely to be Involved in Teen Pregnancies" (May/June 2001)
