Child Abuse & Neglect
Recent statistics
- Neglect is consistently the most prevalent form of substantiated abuse, accounting for 60 percent of child abuse and neglect nationally and 78 percent in Georgia in 2008.
- Young children are the most vulnerable to victimization.
- Nationally, 32 percent of child victims are age birth to 3 years. In Georgia, 33 percent of child abuse and neglect victims are in this age range.
- In the U.S., biological parents are the abusers in 80 percent of cases.
- In the U.S., 90 percent of abuse occurs in the victim’s home.
Source: Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services, Child Protective Services
Ways to address the issue
- Nurturing and attachment: Beginning at birth, children need to develop a bond with a caring adult.
- Knowledge of parenting and child development: Parents need to understand how children grow and learn appropriate care, discipline and expectations based on the child’s age and level of development.
- Parental resilience: Resilience is the ability to bounce back from the stressors and crises of everyday living.
- Social connections: The presence of trusted and caring family, friends, and community members provides encouragement and assistance to parents as they raise a family.
- Concrete supports: Parents and families need basic resources, such as housing, food and transportation, and access to services, such as health care and childcare, to ensure the well-being of their children.