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The Iowa Department of Human Services has
multiple services to keep children safe. See the "Resource"
section of this course for a complete listing of the local
county offices of the DHS, or go to http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/Consumers/Find_Help/MapLocations.html.
Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Programs, authorized
by the legislature, provides services through local Child
Abuse Prevention Councils. These Councils provide services
based on the communities' needs. Some of the services provided
include: crises nursery, parent education, respite care, sexual
abuse prevention, and young parent support (PCA-I, 2007).
Community Based Child Abuse Prevention
(CBCAPP), established in 1985 as part of the federal Child
Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, is designed to support
networks of coordinated resources and activities to better
strengthen and support families to reduce the likelihood of
child abuse and neglect. The Federal CBCAP program is intended
to improve family functioning, problem solving and communication;
increase social supports for families; link families to community
resources; increase knowledge about child development and
parenting; and improve nurturing and attachment between parent
and child. Some of the services provided include (PCAI, 2007):
- offering assistance to families;
- providing early, comprehensive support for parents;
- promoting the development of parenting skills, especially
in young parents and parents with very young children;
- increasing family stability;
- improving family access to other resources within communities;
- support the additional needs of families with children
with disabilities through respite care and other services;
- demonstrate a commitment to meaningful parent leadership,
including among parents of children with disabilities, parents
with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members
of underrepresented and underserved groups;
- provide referrals to early health and development services.
Two-thirds of CBCAP program funds are used to support child
abuse prevention efforts through the Community Partnerships
for Protecting Children initiative. Through a competitive
RFP process, CPPC sites apply for CBCAP funds to strengthen
local child abuse prevention activities (PCA-I, 2007). These
activities include:
- Parent education programs such as Parents as Teachers,
The Nurturing Program, Incredible Years, and Love and Logic
- Home visitation programs
- Home and group-based family support programs
- Child sexual abuse prevention
- Respite and crisis child care
- Community awareness activities
One-third of Iowa's CBCAP program funds are used to support
respite and crisis child care services (PCA-I, 2007).
- Respite child care services are provided through Youth
Emergency Services and Shelter Recipients of respite child
care services must have a child with a diagnosed disability.
- Crisis child care services are provided through contracts
with local service providers. Currently, crisis child care
services are being provided in Boone, Buchanan, Carroll,
Linn, and Marshall counties.
In addition to addressing risk factors such as poverty, substance
abuse, and domestic violence, CBCAP programs strive to increase
protective factors. Protective factors are characteristics
that, when present, reduce the likelihood of child abuse and
neglect. The following set of protective factors has been
identified by the FRIENDS National Resource Center for CBCAP
as key in preventing child abuse:
- Nurturing and attachment between parent and child
- Parental resilience (parents can "bounce back" from crises)
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Strong social connections
- Concrete supports in time of need
Continue to Safe
Haven for Newborns--Overview of the Safe Haven Act
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