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Analysis of the Protected Status of Maltreated Children and Youth
Author(s) -
Bross Donald C.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1979.tb00802.x
Subject(s) - neglect , child abuse , child neglect , psychology , child protection , developmental psychology , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , political science , medicine , law , psychiatry , medical emergency
Violence to children has been common throughout history, yet society's response to child abuse and neglect has developed quite slowly. The delay in recognizing and responding to child maltreatment, and the problems of structuring protection for children, are related strongly to the fact that children cannot exercise adult powers. Changes in the “status” of children will be enduring only as adults continue exercising their powers wisely on behalf of children. Under the law, status is a concept both used and misused on behalf of children. There seems to be no coherent view of childhood providing a consistent influence on legal decisions. Rather than ignoring many of the complexities of children's status, children's law should be better related to the degree of protection required by the child's or youth's developmental stage.