Government Regulations and Policies in the United States - Research Proposal Example

Policy Brief 0 Goal ment Government regulations and policies in the United s have always been in the headlines following the great consideration for human rights in the country. The US has always been in the forefront in controlling all social problems, which may affect its citizens. It is, however, notable, that various social aspects, like child abuse, have not been adequately addressed. In response to this, there has been every need to enact a policy on social welfare, which will prevent child abuse. Sex-related exploitation of kids is a public problem in the US. Scientific experts opine that kids who experience serious sexual misuse are likely to demonstrate actions irregularities, such as posttraumatic stress problem. In addition, research indicates that affected individuals of child sexual abuse are extremely susceptible to other types of problems and life issues. In response to this problem, the social welfare policy will protect children from all forms of abuse, and more specifically from sexual exploitation and abuse (Barth et al., 2010). The policy is aimed at ensuring social welfare development and growth of the children by addressing the following issues: Promoting safe and stable families, strengthening abuse and neglect courts, adoption and safe families, family preservation and family support services, adoption assistance and child welfare, family replacement and maintenance, preventive services, and child abuse/neglect reporting. 2.0 Scope of the Issue/Problem Various global bodies, the government administration, community interest categories and communities, consider it as a prospective community problem. However, some unlawful company tycoons privately encourage kid prostitution and kid sex travel and leisure, as these areas have the prospective to produce a lot of cash. Although government authorities and community view child sex-related abuse as a serious criminal activity, sex workers maintain that actions like child prostitution and pornography go contrary to children rights. Ultimately, hardship and poor financial background are the underlying causes of this social problem. Lack of adult care is another prospective reason for the increased rate of kid sex-related misuse in the United States. In present world, parents have little time to look after their kids and therefore, they leave their kids at childcare facilities or family members. Reviews indicate that kids aged between 1and18, are the vulnerable team. It is also observed that intimately abused kids, mainly fit in with struggling classes of the community (Bruce, 2001). Undoubtedly, children comprise the significant group that is affected by this social problem, because sex-related exploitation can cause physical as well as psychological effects on them. This problem would cause a nation to invest more on treatment and recovery of intimately misused children. Surprisingly, sex racquets and underworld are the significant categories that take unjust advantages of this community problem. In addition, some lecherous and randy individuals also gain from this community problem, as they use kids to satisfy their sex-related desires. Majority of kid sex racquets have worldwide networks and they produce large amount of money each day from their unlawful company. Based on this analysis, the scope of child abuse as an enormous social problem has been highlighted (Barth et al., 2010). 3.0 Past Policy or Background Several policy-related initiatives have been drafted to address the problem. The government in collaboration with children rights agencies and lobby groups has facilitated enactment of legislations and policies of averting the problem (Harris et al., 2008). Some of the key policy measures taken in addressing children abuse include the following. Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 was the first nationwide regulation on child abuse. The legislature approved in respect to child maltreatment. This milestone regulation designed the National Center on Kid Misuse and Neglect, and certified government funds for declaring to identify specific programs for child affected individuals of abuse and neglect (Barth et al., 2010). The law calls upon the states to enforce child abuse confirming laws, investigate reviews of abuse and neglect, educate the public about abuse and neglect, and provide a guardian ad litem (GAL) to every misused or ignored child, whose situation is subject to a trial continuing. Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, designed Name IV-E of the Public Protection Act, and established the first government rules to control child welfare situation management, permanency planning, and nurture health care positioning reviews. The act also needs legal courts to review child welfare situations more regularly, and necessitates “reasonable efforts” to keep families together via prevention and household reunification solutions. States were also required to develop a condition plan that described in details, how child welfare solutions are provided (Bruce, 2001). Family Preservation and Family Support Services Program The Family Preservation and Family Support Services Program was approved by the legislature in 1993, to offer versatile funding for community-based solutions, that focused on child abuse prevention and/or helping parents whose children were at risk of being eliminated. It is certified through Name IV-B, subpart 2 of the Public Protection Act. This regulation also designed the Court Enhancement Program, which permitted condition legal courts to evaluate modern methods of enhancing household trial efficiency (Edward and Nancy, 2002). Child Welfare Waiver Program In 1994, the legislature certified a Child Welfare Waiver Program, similar to the Court Enhancement Program, which would enable condition companies to test new techniques for providing and funding child welfare solutions. The U.S. Division of Health and Human Services, funds waivers yearly to declare through its optional funds program (Pear, 1996). 4.0 Current Policy In order to adequately address the problem of child abuse, the government is looking forward to reinforce previous policies on children rights. Of great importance is the strengthening of abuse and neglect courts, adoption of safe families, and promoting amendments on safe and stable families (Bruce, 2001). This is in harmony with the following policies: Adoption and Safe Families Act The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 was designed in reaction to criticisms that insufficient resources were dedicated to adoption, as a lasting positioning option for misused children, that the kid welfare system was more concerned with household preservation than with child protection, and that too many children languished consistently in the nurture health care system. The recommendations were meant to increase the number of adoptions, to motivate declares to facilitate permanency choices of the in nurture health care, to identify efficiency requirements and apply a financially corrective condition responsibility system; and to be expanded the waiver program described above. It also aimed at offering extra funding for adoption marketing and support activities, and for time-limited household reunification solutions (Edward and Nancy, 2002). Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act In 2000, the legislature approved the Building up Abuse and Neglect Courts Act. Under this law, legal courts can apply for government funds that must be used towards reducing the backlog of abuse and neglect situations and/or automating case-tracking and data-collection systems (Harris et al., 2008). Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments The Advertising Secure and Constant Family members Efficiencies of 2001 increased the endorsement stage from $305 thousand to $505 thousand for PSSF. However, the compulsory funding stage was held at $305 thousand, significance that any funding amount above that figure is entirely optional. The funding is used for 4 primary purposes: household preservation, community-based household support solutions, time-limited reunification solutions, and adoption marketing and support solutions. In FY 2008, this method of funding was roughly $404 thousand (Harris et al., 2008). 5.0 Proposed Solution(s) By adopting the social welfare policy on child abuse, the problem will be adequately countered. This will be attained through the realization of the following solutions: a. Permanent placement: The social welfare policy on child abuse is aimed at ensuring a stable, permanent and nurturing home environment for children is established. The policy will also advocate for placing the children with legal guardian or in a long-term foster home, thus enhancing their basic rights. From another perspective, the policy will also ensure provision of independent living services which will offer counseling, guidance, life-skills training, work experience and transitional housing (Edin and Jencks, 1992). b. Family replacement and maintenance, and preventive services: To ensure that the freedoms and rights of the children are adequately addressed, the policy will ensure that there is prioritization of family maintenance, replacement and preventive services. This will allow the child to remain safe at home, hence countering possibilities of abuse. These services will also include counseling, parenting classes, in-home caretakers, and assistance in accessing other support programs (Pear, 1996). c. Child protective services: it is also notable that the policy will help in evaluating whether the allegations of abuse/torture or neglect are substantiated, so as to ascertain whether the child is potential risk and to decide what supportive services are appropriate in addressing his/her needs as well as those of the family (Edin and Jencks, 1992). d. Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting: In this case, the policy will enhance undertaking no further inquiry, setting up in-person evaluations of the child and family, referral to another service agency, or sending immediate response services if the child is deemed to be in imminent danger (Edin and Jencks, 1992). 6.0 Glossary Child abuse: This is physical, emotional, psychological or sexual mistreatment of a child or children. Child neglect: This is failure of a person to responsibly up bring, take care of safeguard a child’s physical, sexual, emotional or general well-being. References Barth, R. et al. (2010). From child abuse to foster care: Child welfare services pathways and placements. London: Routldge. Bruce, J. (2001). The reluctant welfare state: American social welfare policies - past, present, and future. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Edin, K., and Jencks, C. (1992). Rethinking social policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Edward, Z., and Nancy, H. (2002). Child development and social policy. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Harris, G. et al. (2008). Dynamics of social welfare policy: Right versus left. New York: McGraw Hill. Pear, R. (1996). Many states fail to meet mandates on child welfare. New York: Prentice Hall. Read More