Helping Neglectful Parents

Abstract

Modern child protective service retains much of the belief in the community's responsibility for neglected chil dren held by its founders in the 1870's. The greatest change has been in the emphasis on help to parents to provide needed care as opposed to punishment of parents and removal of children. It is based on a belief that parents who are not functioning adequately are not necessarily incapable of so func tioning and that it is in the interest of society, of children, and of parent that they be given an opportunity to find out. Pro tective service is, more than many social services, a direct joint effort of community and social agency. It is initiated by reports from the community. Though need of protective serv ice is generally accepted as basic in all communities, and protective services in public child welfare units increasing, such services are by no means universal. They are increas ingly given under public—tax—supported—rather than volun tarily supported agencies. The extent of neglect is well documented by the United States Children's Bureau. Neg lectful parents can be helped by a community program which includes identification of such parents, provides authoritative intervention of which an ingredient is skillful casework help, and insures that services and resources which support parental functioning will be available.