Reported are findings of an impact evaluation of the Family-Centered Home-Based Intervention Project for Protective Services Clients, a joint venture of the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) Region 11 (Houston) and the DePelchin Children's Center. The project demonstrated a model of intensive intervention with families who had been referred…

Life-like simulations used with 30 primary grade children given instruction in child abuse prevention determined that: (1) children receiving the instruction six months earlier maintained their lower vulnerability; (2) reteaching of the program reduced vulnerability for two of four children; and (3) the program was effective with the previous…

Reports on a three-year interagency collaborative effort between clinicians and state children's services workers who treat child victims of sexual abuse. Discusses client characteristics, treatment provided, and expectations of state social workers and treatment workers. (NH)

The Houston KIDS COUNT data book examines the status of children in Houston and Harris County and identifies trends in their general welfare. These data provide a portrait of Harris County's children that can be used for developing sound and effective local policy. The report is divided into the following sections: (1) Children in Families; (2)…

The National Parent Teacher Association acknowledges parents' primary child-rearing role, but questions the need for legislation to extend parents' constitutional rights. Parents already have numerous rights and options for fighting "unreasonable" government interference. The laws that upset parental rights proponents are needed to…

The play behaviors of three groups of preschool children were compared. The physically abused children (N=11) were more antisocial, disruptive, and aggressive yet passive. The 15 sexually abused children were relatively quiet and engaged in more female-type activities, while 10 non-abused control group children exhibited more positive peer…

Three conceptual approaches to estimating local child abuse rates using the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect data set are evaluated. All three approaches yield estimates of actual abuse cases that exceed the number of reported cases. (SLD)

Evaluation of effects of mandating educators to report suspected cases of child sexual assault in New South Wales, Australia, found a significant increase in the number of such reports by teachers but no change in the percentage of reported eventually verified. (Author/DB)

Presents findings from a 4-year study of 225 cases involving students' sexual abuse by teachers or other professional staff, based on interviews with superintendents, school attorneys, parents, and teachers. Although 39% of accused teachers left the district and 15% were terminated, few lost teaching licenses. Districts need firm policies, staff…

A group of 149 adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse was tested using a causal model that identifies relationships among sexual abuse situation characteristics, the accomplishment of cognitive coping tasks, and long-term effects. Results indicated the model did not fit the data. A revised model is proposed and examined. (JBJ)

According to a veteran education attorney, understanding a school community's psychological dynamics is essential when probing sexual abuse allegations. When an educator is accused of sexual abuse, the key to fair and just resolution is a prompt, thorough investigation that includes a broad interview field and concentrates on possible…

Discusses the benefits and shortcomings of three systems for assessing risk factors affecting children: the Illinois CANTS 17B; the Washington Assessment of Risk Matrix; the Child at Risk Field System. Although these systems are used in 23 states, the lack of staff knowledgeable about human development and the uncertain reliability and validity of…

The authors' main question in this article was, can a wretched upbringing or a traumatic youth be a reason for exempting, be it fully or partially, a person from his criminal behaviour? In their view it indeed can, provided that a number of conditions are fulfilled. First, it must be demonstrated that the person lacks a certain configuration of…

This study examines cognitive functioning and academic achievement in maltreated children. The data are from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national probability study of children receiving child welfare services due to alleged child maltreatment. Assessments of the cognitive and academic functioning of school-age…

The purpose of this study was to advance knowledge of dating violence behaviors among adolescent victims of child sexual abuse (CSA), first, by determining the prevalence of psychological and physical dating violence and the reciprocity of violence, and second, by investigating the influence of certain CSA characteristics to dating violence.…