Words: 722
1 There would be several possible benefits for implementing this policy. With a household that has domestic violence or child abuse in their history, the child would have a much greater chance of becoming violent in the future. Studies show that children of batterers are much more likely to become batterers themselves. The child would be more likely to develop some psychological problems as a result of the abuse. Also, if the abuse is towards the child, the child could suffer from severe physical problems depending on the severity of the abuse.
A partial list of the effects of child abuse are academic difficulties; aggressive behavior; alcohol and/or other drug abuse; anxiety; attention problems; bad dreams; bed wetting; behavioral problems; chronic pain; compulsive sexual behaviors; concentration problems; dangerous behavior such as speeding; dehydration; dissociative states; eating disorders; failure to thrive; fear or shyness; fear of certain adults or places; frequent injuries; insomnia; learning problems; 2 ying; malnutrition; oppositionality; panic attacks; physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches; repeated self-injury; risky sexual behaviors; running away; self neglect; separation anxiety; sexual dysfunction; sleep disorders; social withdrawal; stealing; stuttering; substance abuse; suicide attempts; thumb sucking or any age inappropriate behavior; truancy. By taking the child or children out of the home, there is a possibility that the child will be less likely to develop these problems or reverse any negative behavior that the child has as a result of the abuse.
When dealing with substance abuse, children are at risk for a number of problems related to the parents/guardians substance abuse. In families where alcohol or other drugs are being abused, behavior is frequently unpredictable and communication is unclear. Family life is characterized by chaos and unpredictability. Behavior can range from loving to withdrawn to crazy. Structure and rules may be either nonexistent or inconsistent. Children, who may not understand that their parent’s behavior and mood is determined by the amount of alcohol or other drugs in their bloodstream, can feel confused and insecure.
They love their parents and worry about them, and yet feel angry and hurt that their parents do not love them enough to stop using. Parental substance abuse interrupts a child’s normal development, which places these children at higher risk for emotional, physical and mental health problems. Because parents who abuse alcohol or other drugs are more likely to be involved with domestic violence, divorce, unemployment, mental illness and legal problems, their ability to parent effectively is severely compromised.
There is a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide attempts among these children than among their peers. In addition, 3 they are 3-4 times more likely than others to become addicts themselves. possibility of the child to develop these problems or reverse the effects that the substance abuse has created. 4 Foster care can injure a child’s emotional development and can lead to negative development outcomes due to inconsistent nurturing and maternal contact.
When placed in foster care, and if care provided by the primary caretaker is inconsistent or inadequate, children become more insecurely attached and develop abnormal attachments. Children placed in foster care and who received inconsistent nurturing care from the primary caretaker, and who have disrupted attachments to their caregivers, display overly vigilant or overly compliant behavior, show indiscriminate connection to every adult, or do not demonstrate attachment behavior to any adult.
Children with insecure, disordered, or disorganized attachments may also have many other adverse outcomes that persist throughout childhood such as poor peer relationships, behavioral problems, or other mental health difficulties. Many children placed in foster care suffer from compromised cognitive, intellectual, and academic functioning. Children placed in foster care have higher rates of depression, abnormal social skills, are more impulsive, become more 5 aggressive, and are more insecurely attached and have insecure and disordered attachment behavior.
These children also do more poorly than children who are left in high-risk homes where parents are neglectful or abusive. Behavior problems are worse as compared to those raised by maltreating care givers. Foster children show more compromised social-emotional functioning than children raised in a high risk environment. REFERENCES http://www. underourrainbowshoppes. com/104/Abused-Children-Charity-Donation-Gift-What-Are-Results-Child-Abuse. htm http://www. coaf. org/professionals/effects%20. htm http://www. childwelfare. gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/drugexposed. cfm http://brainmind. com/FosterCareInfancyChildhood. html