Focal Point: Type of Prevention: Corrective Area of Emphasis: Strategy: Cor. F-1 Individual and Family Counseling Provision of adequate individual and family counseling services to promote social adjustment, stability and family cohesion. Commentary There is general agreement among experts in the fields of juvenile justice and child development that the strength and stability of the family unit is crucial to the positive development and the social well-being of a child. Quite naturally, children look to family members for guidance and understanding in a world that is often confusing and difficult to understand. There are times, however, when the family unit is unable to provide the necessary guidance. Dissonance due to marital discord or divorce, financial and other outside pressures, or deeply rooted psychological disturbances, may affect the life of the family, which in turn may damage a child's self-concept and world view. When this occurs, an environment is created wherein delinquent behavior or child neglect may result. Intervention by means of individual counseling for parents and children may provide the direction and guidance needed to cope with stressful circumstances. Counseling can offer each participant the opportunity to understand his/her world, promote social adjustment and family stability, and assist in the rational resolution to problems before an actual crisis develops. Moreover, since internal conflicts often, and external pressures generally, involve all family members, counseling for the entire family permits solutions acceptable and beneficial to all. See National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 3.4 (1976). Various counseling programs may be effective. Utilizing volunteer counselors and youthful professionals from the community may assist in lessening the social distance between worker and juvenile client. See A.E. Forture, Images in the Looking Glass, A Study of a Counseling Center for Runaways (N.C.J.R.S. Accession Number 09900.00.009625). Similarly, counseling for troubled parents has been effective when trained persons from the community are used, follow-up information regarding financial assistance, alcohol and drug abuse assistance are provided, and a 24-hour crisis intervention service is maintained. See Focal Point Social Institutions, Strategy, Cor. F-3 and Commentary. Group discussions, films and lectures may also help family members to recognize and deal with an impending crisis. Many counseling measures have gained the confidence and respect of participants and community representatives alike. When utilized to the fullest, counseling programs have been found to be an effective program of great value to any community. See G.W. Carter, Alternative Routes Project (N.C.J.R.S. Accession Number 09900.00.025628). Focal Point: Type of Prevention: Corrective Area of Emphasis: Provision of parent education and preparation programs to Commentary Educating parents to cope with the needs of children and the problems of raising them is an important factor in the development of a secure family environment. Very often parents and prospective parents have unrealistic expectations concerning the various stages of child-rearing due to a lack of knowledge or experience regarding proper parent roles and family life. Parent training programs can assist parents and prospective parents to establish a successful and cohesive family environment. Parent training services may include training in prenatal and postnatal care, preparatory courses concerning the various stages of child development, and suggestions for methods to deal with those stages in an informed and rational manner. Practical information regarding finances and consumer protection can also be provided. See National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 3.3 (1976). Focal Point Individual: Through the use of these programs, prospective parents can Related Strategies develop skills relating to communicating with their children, expressing their feelings and needs effectively, and settling conflicts between competing needs in a fair and appropriate manner. Moreover, a range of effective and nonalienating techniques of child discipline can also be explored. Staffing for parent training programs should consist of community-based nurses and paramedical personnel. Since problems regarding delinquency and neglect can easily be found through all segments of the community, parent training should not be directed toward any one group of people. To be Cor. F-1 Individual and Family Counseling Focal Point Social Institutions: Cor. F-3 Crisis Intervention Focal Point: Type of Prevention: Corrective Area of Emphasis: Strategy: Cor. F-3 Provision of adequate protective services to children and families to facilitate domestic adequacy and stability. Commentary Without a doubt, the most critical manifestation of an inadequate family environment or serious parental difficulties is the existence of emotional or physical mistreatment of children. Such episodes usually foster feelings of rejection within the home, thereby shattering family life and the normal development process of a child. See National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Report of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Standard 3.5 (1976) [hereinafter cited as Report of the Task Force]. Correlations have also been noted between child neglect and subsequent delinquent behavior. When there is evidence that such a crisis has occurred or is about to occur, protective services should be utilized. The efforts of protective services are directed toward preserving the family unit through voluntary efforts rather than through the use of the coercive power of the juvenile justice system. Programs are directed both at understanding and assisting troubled parents, changing behavior patterns in the home, and at mitigating the harmful effects that mistreatment has on the children. Several approaches have shown considerable promise for changing the behavior of abusive parents. By providing intensive counseling and training to those parents who were themselves victims of child abuse, child abuse can be significantly reduced. See generally R. E. Helfer and C. H. Kempe, The Battered Child (1968). Additional service components might encompass outreach activities to discover families that may need services as well as family advocacy programs which focus on problems within the general community that might contribute to abuse or neglect. Report of the Task Force, supra at Standard 3.5 In addition, 24-hour crisis intervention service is a vital component for providing complete and adequate protective services to the entire community. It helps prevent the severence of family ties and keeps coercive intervention to a minimum. See C. L. Johnson, Two Community Protective Service Systems: Comparative Evaluation of Systems Operations (N.C.J.R.S. Accession Number: 09900.00.046703). See also Focal Point Social Institutions, Strategy, Cor. F-3 and Commentary. Effective staffing is essential to the implementation of this strategy. Personnel should be specially trained to deal with cases of child abuse and neglect. See Standards 1.41 and 1.425. In addition, the participation of community volunteers knowledgeable and sensitive to this problem are a vital part of the protective service operation. Evaluation of past operations suggests that active community involvement is also vital to program success. See V. De Francis, Status of Child Protective Services (N.C.J.R.S. Accession Number 09900.00.0049037). A basic issue which should be considered by a community in the delivery of protective services is that of clearly defined goals and objectives. An agency should first evaluate the extent of its community needs, then develop specific and tangible goals based on the resources and manpower available. Often an agency will try to do too much based on insufficient resources and limited manpower, thus diminishing its chances of success. Regular consultation with other groups and organizations through a type of referral network will foster cooperation between community groups and result in logical planning, financing, and service implementation. See Standards 1.21-1.29 and Commentary. Protective services can be a valuable asset when dealing with the serious problem of child abuse and neglect. When coordinated and administered effectively, such a program can greatly aid a community in preserving family units, thereby establishing greater stability and control for all. However, protective services have generally been considered the least developed in the area of child welfare. Many communities do not provide protective services and often depend on police and the courts to handle the problem of abused and neglected children. Often these groups possess few alternatives for placement of children or services to parents. See Report of the Task Force, supra at Standard 3.5. Staff of each are seldom trained in this area. Even when training occurs, other responsibilities often take precedence. Those government officials and agencies considering policy and procedure in the implementation of this strategy should critically review the local procedures for handling this problem and draft proposals to minimize the use of the police and courts. Related Standards 1.111-1.114 Organization of the Local Juvenile Service System 1.212-1.125 Organization of the State Juvenile Service System |