Recognizing child abuse and neglect in child care settings

Abstract

Although child abuse has been going on throughout history, the young child today faces a world that is more dangerous than ever before. In addition to the acknowledged threats of war, poverty, homelessness, and violence, is the recognition that children are encountering danger from the one area that has traditionally provided their strongest support--the family (Hollander, 1992). Headlines provide frightening examples of murder and abduction, as well as physical and sexual abuse, most often perpetrated by a family member (Goldman, 1993). Alarming stories of abuse in day care settings have made national headlines, but the statistics indicate that children are far safer from incidents of abuse in day care settings than in their own homes (Finkelhor