Child Abuse Identification and Reporting:
Iowa Training for Mandatory Reporters

Child Abuse Prevention Services


Introduction

Who Are the Mandated Reporters?

Abuse and Neglect/
Maltreatment Have Many Presentations

The Disturbing Statistics

Legal Definitions Related to Child Maltreatment

Recognizing Child Abuse

Risk Factors Contributing to Child Abuse and Maltreatment

Protective Factors for Child Abuse and Maltreatment

The Consequences of Child Abuse

Perpetrators of Child Abuse

Dos and Don'ts Regarding Talking with Children about Possible Abuse or Maltreatment

Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment

After the Assessment Process

Child Abuse Prevention Services

Safe Haven for Newborns--Overview of the Safe Haven Act

Conclusion

References

Resources

Take Test

Exit to Menu





The Iowa Department of Human Services has multiple services to keep children safe. See the "Resource" section of this course for a complete listing of the local county offices of the DHS, or go to http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/Consumers/Find_Help/MapLocations.html.

Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Programs, authorized by the legislature, provides services through local Child Abuse Prevention Councils. These Councils provide services based on the communities' needs. Some of the services provided include: crises nursery, parent education, respite care, sexual abuse prevention, and young parent support (PCA-I, 2007).

According to the Department of Human Services (n.d.a.), Community Partnerships for Protecting Children (CPPC) is an approach that recognizes "keeping children safe is everybody's business." Community Partnerships for Protecting Children is an approach that neighborhoods, towns, cities, and states can adopt to improve how children are protected from maltreatment.

  • It aims to blend the work and expertise of professionals and community members to bolster supports for vulnerable families and children.
  • Community partnerships is not a "program" - rather, it is a way of working with families that helps services be more inviting, needs-based, accessible, and relevant.
  • It incorporates prevention strategies as well as those needed to address maltreatment, once identified.

For more information on CPPC, go to
http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/cppc/what_cppc/index.html.

Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAPP) programs designed to support networks of resources/services/activities to strengthen and support families in order to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. Services provided may include (PCAI, 2007):

  • offering assistance;
  • providing early, comprehensive support for parents;
  • promoting the development of parenting skills, especially in young parents and parents with very young children;
  • increasing family stability;
  • improving family access to other resources within communities;
  • support the additional needs of families with children with disabilities through respite care and other services;
  • demonstrate a commitment to meaningful parent leadership, including among parents of children with disabilities, parents with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of underrepresented and underserved groups;
  • provide referrals to early health and development services.

According to Prevent Child Abuse Iowa (2007) the following services are offered at these specific county locations:

  • Crisis Child Care - Adams, Adair, Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Dallas, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Union, Winnebago and Worth counties;
  • Group and Home-Based Parent Education - Adams, Adair, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cass, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clay, Delaware, Dickinson, Fayette, Floyd, Hancock, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Keokuk, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Montgomery, Muscatine, Worth, Winnebago, Osceola, O'Brien, Shelby, Harrison, Poweshiek, Tama, Washington, Van Buren, Polk, Lyon, Plymouth, Union, Webster and Pocahontas
  • Parent Support Groups - Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Hamilton, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Linn, Polk, and Sioux
  • Respite Child Care - Allamakee, Audubon, Bremer, Butler, Carroll, Clayton, Dubuque, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Johnson, Howard and Winneshiek
  • Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Activities - conducted by all CPPC sites

Prevent Child Abuse Iowa also subcontracts with Iowa Respite and Crisis Care Coalition to offer respite care to families with children with disabilities and crisis care to families in need of emergency child care.

Continue to Safe Haven for Newborns--Overview of the Safe Haven Act