Until the government significantly steps up benefits for low-income families with children, it’s likely that the prevalence of child abuse and neglect will remain unacceptably high.
In this op-ed, two BU School of Social Work faculty argue that the US child welfare system is failing to meet all children’s needs because of “overwhelming demand.” More progress, they write, “will require a more robust safety net and authorities taking a more constructive approach to supporting parents of children deemed to be experiencing neglect or abuse…until the government significantly steps up benefits for low-income families with children, we believe it’s likely that the prevalence of child abuse and neglect will remain unacceptably high.”
Despite a series of federal measures requiring greater efforts to preserve family unity, many policies make life harder for people swept up in the system.