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Why a universal population‐level approach to the prevention of child abuse is essential
Author(s) -
Sanders Matthew R.,
Cann Warren,
MarkieDadds Carol
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/car.797
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , domestic violence , population , psychology , child abuse , child protection , developmental psychology , medicine , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , psychiatry , environmental health , nursing
This paper argues for the importance of adopting a population‐level approach to promote more effective parenting and to reduce the risk of child maltreatment. Family‐based interventions based on social learning principles have been shown to make a useful contribution in the treatment of child maltreatment. However, typically such programmes have been used to treat parents who have already become involved in the child protection system. We argue that the creation of community‐wide support structures to support positive parenting is needed to reduce the prevalence of child maltreatment. Such an approach requires several criteria to be met. These include having knowledge about the prevalence rates for the targeted child outcomes sought, knowledge about the prevalence of various parenting and family risk factors, evidence that changing family risk factors reduces the prevalence of targeted problems, having culturally appropriate, cost‐effective, evidence‐based interventions available and making these widely accessible. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.