Oversurveillance is often a result of confusing poverty for neglect. In reality, what many families need is concrete support related to housing, food, clothing, childcare, health care, and more–not surveillance from the community or the child protective services system. If we can proactively set up systems that provide these supports and promote family well-being, we can prevent child abuse and neglect and keep families enact.
Other commitments we have as we do things differently this year include addressing systemic racism by dismantling policies and practices that perpetuate inequality, relying on the expertise of those with lived experience to inform practice and policy change, and supporting the committed workforce of professionals who dedicate their lives to helping children despite often overwhelming caseloads and workloads.
All month long, we will be sharing resources about these priorities in our efforts to do things differently to prevent child abuse and neglect. I invite you to share them with colleagues and families, and as always, I thank you for your commitment to helping children and families thrive.
Sincerely,
Elaine Voces-Stedt, MSW
Director, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Children’s Bureau, ACYF, ACF, HHS
|
