Child Maltreatment In Canada

1. STUDY OVERVIEW AND METHODS: Background and objectives; Purpose of this report; Definitional framework for the CIS [Canadian Incidence Study].; Methods; Scope and Limitations. 2. CHILD MALTREATMENT IN CANADA: INCIDENCE AND CHARACTERITICS: Total child investigations and overall rates of substantiation; Categories of maltreatment; Characteristics of Substantiated Maltreatment.

This report was initiated with the goal of providing an overview of the current knowledge & issues concerning the identification, classification, and reporting of child abuse by physicians in health care settings. The report is based on a review of child abuse literature, a review of Canadian legislation & case law regarding the reporting of child abuse, and interviews with hospital personnel to develop institutional profiles of selected hospital-based programs. The literature review section discusses the definition of child abuse, the scope of child abuse & types of reports submitted, reporting probabilities and report substantiation rates, problems with identification & reasons for not reporting, and tools for improving the child abuse identification & reporting system. The discussion of law and legislation covers such issues as the duty to report child abuse & neglect, penalties for not reporting, privilege & confidentiality, good faith reporting & immunity, and civil liability & professional discipline for non-reporting. The next section reviews eight hospital programs where dedicated resources exist for dealing with the identification, reporting and/or treatment of child abuse. The final section suggests a number of areas for proposed action, based on the findings of the report, in the areas of practice, policy & legislative reform, and research.

More than a quarter of a century has passed since Canada promised to recognize and respect the rights of children under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ratification of the Convention cannot, however, guarantee that everyone will abandon proprietary notions about children, or that all children will be free to enjoy the substance of their rights in every social and institutional context in which they find themselves, including—and perhaps especially—within families. This disconnect remains one of the most important challenges to the recognition of children’s rights in Canada. The authors argue that social toxins are as harmful to children’s independent welfare and developmental interests as environmental toxins, and that both must be eradicated if Canada is to fulfill its commitments under the Convention. They also argue that if Canada wishes to ensure the substance of the rights outlined in the Convention are socially guaranteed, an attitudinal or cultural shift is required concerning the moral and legal status of children. This revised, expanded, and updated edition of the bestselling Challenge of Children’s Rights for Canada will be of interest to academics, policymakers, parents, teachers, social workers, and human service professionals—indeed to anyone who cares about and for children.

In Canada, professionals such as doctors, teachers, and social workers must report child abuse and neglect to Child Protection Services. This is often a difficult decision--professionals may be uncertain if they should report their suspicions and worry about the relationship with the client or patient if they follow through. Child Abuse and Neglect in Canada offers a concise guide to mandatory reporting in provincial and territorial jurisdictions with specific attention to the context and unique realities of Northern Canada. As an introduction to mandatory reporting, the book opens with an exploration of the historical rise of the child welfare system, mandatory reporters' ethical duties around reporting, types of abuse and neglect, risk and protective factors, and the ascendancy of child abuse in an online environment. The text goes on to explore various factors (e.g., legal, clinical, and situational) to assist human service professionals with their decision-making, examine the reporting process, and offer relationship-repair strategies (e.g., reporting, affecting regulation, and advocating). It culminates in a comprehensive, empirically based conceptual framework to help readers maintain relationships with their clients. Predicated on the author's dissertation research, this book offers human service professionals a comprehensive framework for fulfilling professional, fiduciary obligations while providing educators with accessible teaching tools to further their pupils' understanding of the subject.