| The Scottish Government has launched a new website which offers help and support to vulnerable children and families on child protection issues. It includes information on what to do if there are concerns about a child, and information and downloadable materials for children. |
| Source: Scottish Government 16 July 2012 |
| Further information: Child Protection Scotland |
| The Department for Education has issued a press release stating that Ofsted will no longer have to produce an annual assessment of each local authority children’s services. This follows the repeal of section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. |
| Source: Department for Education press release 18 July 2012 |
| Paternal depression and risk for child neglect in father-involved families of young children. |
| Summary: Looks at risk factors for neglect by fathers in families where both parents lived in the family home. The report looked at a sample of two-parent families, from a birth cohort study of 1,089 families, when the target child was aged three and five. Finds that rates of paternal and maternal depression are twice as high in families in which neglect is present, and that father-related risks for neglect remained statistically significant after accounting for maternal parenting risks. Concludes that interventions helping fathers seek treatment for depression could help reduce the risk of neglect. |
| Publication details: Child Abuse and Neglect (Vol.36, Iss.5) May 2012 pp 461-469 |
| Authors: Lee, Shawna J.; Taylor, Catherine A.; Bellamy, Jennifer L. |
| Parental depression and child outcomes: is marital conflict the missing link? |
| Summary: Presents findings from research which aimed to: investigate the relative influences of parental postnatal depression and marital conflict on child outcomes and to attempt to determine the pathway(s) of risk; investigate the impact of two types of antenatal stress (parental depression and marital conflict) on child outcomes; and, determine the relative contributions of antenatal and postnatal risk. Parents were asked to complete both the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a marital conflict scale. Child outcomes were assessed at 42 months. Findings suggest that screening and intervention programmes targeted at parental depression and marital problems should be considered antenatally, as well as postnatally. |
| Publication details: Child: Care, Health and Development (Vol.38, Iss.4) July 2012 pp 520-527 |
| Authors: Hanington, L.; Heron, J.; Stein, A.; Ramchandi, P. |
| The impact of childhood abuse history, domestic violence and mental health symptoms on parenting behaviour among mothers in Japan. |
| Summary: Presents findings from research which aimed to assess the impact of childhood abuse history, domestic violence experiences and mental health symptoms on the parenting behaviour of mothers in Japan who have separated from violent husbands or partners. Results suggested that mental health symptoms are associated with a decrease in parenting quality. Concludes that the treatment of mental health symptoms, particularly dissociative and depressive symptoms, therapy for childhood abuse history and separation from violent husbands or partners might be effective ways to enhance the quality of parenting in Japan. |
| Publication details: Child: Care, Health and Development (Vol.38, Iss.4) July 2012 pp 530-537 |
| Authors: Fujiwara, T.; Okuyama, M.; Izumi, M. |
| Parenting stress mediates between maternal maltreatment history and maternal sensitivity in a community sample. |
| Summary: Looks at the impact of parenting stress and childhood experiences of abuse on mothers’ maternal sensitivity. Assesses a sample of 291 mothers as they interacted with their 16-month old infants in the home. Finds that parenting stress increases the likelihood that a history of maltreatment links to decreased maternal sensitivity. |
| Publication details: Child Abuse and Neglect (Vol.36, Iss.5) May 2012 pp 433-437 |
| Authors: Pereira, Jessica, et al. |
| Links between alcohol and other drug problems and maltreatment among adolescent girls: perceived discrimination, ethnic identity, and ethnic orientation as moderators. |
| Summary: Studies the relationship between abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, ethnicity-specific factors, and alcohol and/or drug problems amongst adolescent girls. Looks at a sample of 168 Black and Hispanic teenage girls who participated in a school-based substance use intervention. Finds that abuse was linked to substance abuse, but only through its relation with PTSD symptoms. Also finds that ethnic high orientation served as a protective factor against substance abuse problem severity. |
| Publication details: Child Abuse and Neglect (Vol.36, Iss.5) May 2012 pp 449-460 |
| Authors: Gray, Calonie M.K.; Montgomery, Marilyn J. |
| Exposure to intimate partner violence and children’s psychological adjustment. cognitive functioning, and social competence: a review. |
| Summary: Reviews recent research into the impact that exposure to domestic violence has on children. Focuses on outcomes related to: psychological adjustment, cognitive functioning and social competence. Considers the protective and risk factors which influence outcomes for children in violent families. |
| Publication details: Aggression and Violent Behavior (Vol.17, Iss.4) July/August 2012 pp 373-382 |
| Authors: Hungerford, Anne; Wait, Sierra K.; Fritz, Alyssa M.; Clements, Caroline M. |
| Dating violence prevention programming: directions for future interventions. |
| Summary: Looks at potential directions for future dating violence prevention programmes aimed at American college students (the equivalent of university students in the UK). Examines a number of clinical interventions which have been shown to reduce a range of problematic behaviours, including: motivational interventions, dialectical behaviour therapy, mindfulness and bystander intervention. Looks at methodological issues involved in applying these interventions. |
| Publication details: Aggression and Violent Behavior (Vol.17, Iss.4) July/August 2012 pp 289-296 |
| Authors: Shorey, Ryan C., et al. |
| Stress responses and decision making in child protection workers faced with high conflict situations. |
| Summary: Tests how the stress levels of professionals affects the way they assess children at risk of abuse and neglect. Puts 96 child protection professionals in two scenarios, one confrontational and one non confrontational. Finds that, regardless of the scenario they are confronted with, practitioners measure high levels of stress during the first assessment. In the second scenario those exposed to the confrontational version reported feeling more stressed, but their cortisol responses remained level. Finds that in the first scenario, when participants all showed a greater stress response, risk assessment scores were higher on one risk assessment tool for the confrontational scenario than the non-confrontational. Concludes that professional stress levels are influenced by the novelty of the situation they are in and the levels of confrontation they face and that some risk assessment tools are more influenced by the user’s emotional state than others. |
| Publication details: Child Abuse and Neglect (Vol.36, Iss.5) May 2012 pp 404-412 |
| Authors: LeBlanc, Vicki R.; Regehr, Cheryl; Shlonsky, Aron; Bogo, Marion |
