A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF HOSPITALISED PHYSICALLY ABUSED PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SOUTH AFRICA: CONTRIBUTING SOCIAL FACTORS

Authors

  • Sulina Green Department of Social Work at the University of Stellenbosch
  • Janine Hartweg Department of Social Work at the University of Stellenbosch

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15270/40-2-342

Abstract

The experience of physical abuse is a traumatic event, which is so intense and frightening that it overwhelms the child’s ability to cope with his/her normal developmental tasks. The goal of the study was to expand social worker’s knowledge of the social circumstances of physically abused preschool children who are hospitalised, and to offer guidelines for professionals from a variety of disciplines to identify and assess physical abuse. To obtain the goals, the objectives were threefold: first to present demographic data on children with intentional physical injuries and their families; second, to describe the experiences of the perpetrators and circumstances under which the abuse took place; and third, to determine how social workers assess children who are suspected of having been physically abused. The study was conducted at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were applied. The diagnoses reported were drawn from a sample of preschool aged children presenting with intentional physical injuries at the hospital over a four month period, interviews with four perpetrators using set guidelines, and conducting a survey with four of the social workers employed at the hospital using a self-completion questionnaire. The findings offered demographic details of the abused children and confirmed that children under the age of six were the most vulnerable age group to be subjected to physical abuse. Head injuries and gunshot wounds were the most frequent occurring physical injuries in this sample, indicating gang activities, effects of poverty and substance misuse. Four case studies are presented following the interviews with the perpetrators/parents, which give a situation analysis of these social circumstances under which the abuse took place. The social circumstances under which the physical abuse took place, and criteria used for assessment can be used as a framework for professionals rendering services to children

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

ARGENT, A.C.; BASS, D.H. & LACHMAN, P.I. 1995. Child abuse services at a children’s hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Child Abuse and Neglect, 19(10):1313-1321.

BLATT, S.D.; SALETSKY, R.D.; MEGUID, V.; CHURCH, C.L.; O’HARA, M.T.; HALLER-PECK, S.M. & ANDERSON, J.M. 1997. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to providing health care for children in out-of-home care. Child Welfare, 76(2): 331-347.

BRIERE, J.N. 1992. Child abuse trauma. Theory and treatment of the lasting effects. Newbury Park: SAGE Publications, Inc.

BRISSETT-CHAPMAN, S. 1995. Child abuse and neglect: Direct practice. Encyclopedia of Social Work (19th ed). Washington: NASW Press: 353-366.

CHILD CARE ACT 74 of 1983, as amended by Act 86 of 1991. Government Gazette, no. 8765. Cape Town and Transvaal Printers for Government Printers.

COOHEY, C. & BRAUN, N. 1997. Toward an integrated framework for understanding child physical abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 21(11):1081-94.

CORBY, B. 1993. Child abuse: Towards a knowledge base. Open University Press: Buckingham.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1997. White Paper for the transformation of the health system. Government Gazette, Notice 17910 of 1997. Pretoria: Government Printer.

DE VILLIERS, F.P.R. & PRENTICE, M.A. 1996. Accumulating experience in a child abuse clinic. South African Medical Journal, 86:147-150.

DOOLEY, D. 1995. Social research methods (3rd ed).. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

GALLAGHER, M.M.; LEAVITT, K.S. & KIMMEL, H.P. 1995. Mental health treatment of cumulatively/repetitively traumatized Children. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 65(3): 206-237.

GRINNELL, R.M. & WILLIAMS, M. 1990. Research in social work. Illinois: FE Peacock Publishers.

HARTWEG, J. 2001. The identification and assessment of intentional physical injuries to hospitalized pre-school children. M.A. Thesis, University of Stellenbosch, Department of Social Work.

HOWARD, P.A.; MARUMO, L.P. & COETZEE, D.J. 1991. Child abuse in Alexandra. A clinic-based study and a community programme. South African Medical Journal, 80:393-396.

KOTCH, J.B.; CHALMERS, D.J.; FANSLOW, J.L.; MARSHALL, S. & LANGLEY, J.D. 1993. Morbidity and death due to child abuse in New Zealand. Child Abuse and Neglect, 17(2): 233-247.

LEWIS, S. 1999. An adult’s guide to childhood trauma: Understanding traumatised children in South Africa. Cape Town: David Philip Publishers.

LOUW, H.M.; VAN SCHALKWYK, H.J.S.; BARNES, J.M.; DHANSAY, S. & SCHAAF, H.S. 1999. Child abuse and neglect: Social work experience at Tygerberg Hospital. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 35(4):301-312.

MONAGHAN-BLOUT, S. 1996. Re-examining assumptions about trauma and resilience: Implications for intervention. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 15(4):45-68.

MULLEN, P.E.; MARTIN, J.L.; ANDERSON, J.C.; ROMANS, S.E. & HERBISON, G.P. 1996. The long-term impact of the physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children: a community study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20(1):7-21.

PELTZER, K. & PHASWANA, N. 2000. Factors influencing child abuse and neglect behavior by social workers in the Northern Province, South Africa. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 36(1):69-78.

PRINO, C.T. & PEYROT, M. 1994. The effect of child physical abuse and neglect on aggressive, withdrawn, and prosocial behavior. Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(10):871-884.

ROSS, J.W. 1995. Hospital social work. Encyclopedia of Social Work (19th ed) Washington: NASW Press: 1365-1377.

ROSS, S.M. 1996. Risk of physical abuse to children of spouse abusing parents. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20(7):589-598.

SMITH, S.L.; SULLIVAN, Q.E. & COHEN, A.H. 1995. Factors associated with the indication of child abuse reports. Journal of Social Service Research, 21(1):15-34.

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CHILD AND FAMILY WELFARE 1992. Child Abuse and Neglect (1st ed). Braamfontein: SANCCFW.

STONE, M. 1990. Child protection work: A professional guide. Venture Press: Birmingham.

WARNER, J.E. & HANSEN, D.J. 1994. The identification and reporting of physical abuse by physicians: a review and implications for research. Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(1):11-25.

WELLS, S.J. 1995. Child abuse and neglect overview. Encyclopedia of Social Work (19th ed). Washington: NASW Press: 346-353.

WILLIAMS, M.; TUTTY, L.M. & GRINNELL, R.M. 1995. Research in social work. An introduction. Illinois: FE Peacock Publishers.

WINSHIP, W.S. 1987. The detection of child abuse. Free to be. Early Childhood Education.

Downloads

Published

2014-07-31

How to Cite

Green, S., & Hartweg, J. (2014). A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF HOSPITALISED PHYSICALLY ABUSED PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SOUTH AFRICA: CONTRIBUTING SOCIAL FACTORS. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.15270/40-2-342

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 4 > >>