Journal of Child Health Care RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

The efficacy of family support and family preservation services on reducing child abuse and neglect : what the literature reveals

O'Reilly, R., Wilkes, L., Luck, L., Jackson, D. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:24:42 PST

Globally, child protection services are under-resourced and unable to meet the demands associated with the increasing numbers of families who are being exposed to child abuse and neglect. Family support and family preservation interventions are the methods cited within the literature as those employed by child protection services to address this issue. Intensive family preservation services and cognitive behavioural therapy are discussed as the most effective interventions currently used by child protection services. This article presents a review of the literature on the efficacy of family-centred interventions for child abuse and neglect. Revealed in this review is that such efficacy remains controversial, with literature affirming that the most successful practice is a combination of interventions applied simultaneously. The literature reviewed suggests that more contemporary research around family-centred interventions for child abuse and neglect is required.

Establishing the boundaries and building bridges. A literature review on ecological theory: implications for research into the refugee parenting experience

Williams, N. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:24:42 PST

Currently an ecological model for conceptualizing and capturing the refugee parenting experience is lacking. After an extensive review of the literature related to the usages of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of child development, a gap was found in knowledge and research centred on describing the environment of pre-resettlement (i.e. pre-flight, flight, migration, camp) contexts and their impact on refugee parents and carer experiences. The culture of the refugee parenting experience may be characterized by disruptions in and alterations to family structure and organization; values and norms; and gender roles. This paper begins by examining the definition and usages of existing ecological frameworks in the 20th and 21st century. Particular attention is drawn to the gaps in the existing literature and an ecological model is offered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice. The outcomes of this paper suggest the need for practitioners, policymakers and researchers to engage and develop culturally competent, relevant and appropriate interventions (i.e. reconciling differing beliefs and behaviours concerning child-rearing practices; affirming positive parenting practices of these families during engagement protocols and processes; adopting a strengths-based orientation) in the area of child protection whilst at the same time safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children within pre- and post-resettlement contexts.

Pre-school children's understanding of cancer: the impact of parental teaching and life experience

Varkula, L. C, Resler, R. M, Schulze, P. A, McCue, K. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:24:41 PST

This study examined pre-school children's understanding of the concept of cancer and their parent's perceptions of their child's understanding of cancer. Parents completed a questionnaire and pre-school children were administered an interview. The results showed that when children indicated that they knew something about cancer, their responses associated cancer with something medical, bad or harmful, or sickness or an illness. Parents correctly estimated their child's understanding of cancer if they had talked previously with their child about cancer. Children whose parents reported discussing cancer were more likely to give responses indicating some knowledge about cancer. Some children reported knowing about cancer in the absence of parent teaching.