Name of state and statute
This is a research on child abuse in the state of Idaho. The statute name for the child protection law in the state is in the 16 chapters of the juvenile proceedings under the Child Protective Act.
Reporting a child abuse case
In reporting a child abuse case, several factors should be considered. One of the basic factors to consider includes possible exposure to harm. Mandated reporters are expected to determine whether there is a legal cause to believe that an adult’s actions place a child in harm or imminent danger (Jirik & Sanders, 2014). Therefore, the most suitable individuals mandated to report such cases are professionals who have acquired relevant training to determine when an action amounts to child abuse.
These professionals include physicians, podiatrists, law enforcement officials, surgeons, medical examiners, mental health professionals, social services workers, and emergency medical workers among others (Jirik & Sanders, 2014). Besides, other mandated reporters include non-professionals such as residents, interns, school officials, janitors, Christian teachers, baby sitters, as well as home security guards.
Summary of child abuse’s definition
Defining child abuse about Idaho’s Child Protective Act, there are different aspects to consider. The definition has been expanded to capture the broader meaning of child abuse and to incorporate different types of abuses. According to the Act, child abuse is defined as any conduct or omission that causes harm to the child. Some of the harms referenced in this definition include skin bruise, bleeding, malnutrition, burns, fracture of a bone, subdural hematoma, and death among others (Johnson, McBride, Hopkins, & Pepper, 2014).
Another category of child abuse is sexual abuse where a child is exposed to sexual content or he or she is sexually molested (Johnson et al., 2014). Also, abandonment is recognized in Idaho’s definition of child abuse, and, according to the Act, it means the failure of the parent or the guardian to foster a normal relationship with the child (Johnson et al., 2014). This includes supporting a child as well as maintaining regular personal contact. If this happens without a justifiable cause and extends for one year, it can be used in a court of law as evidence of abandonment (Johnson et al., 2014).
Besides, some words should also be said about such an issue as a threat of harm which is defined as actions or massages which are dangerous enough to unsettle a childs mind. In criminal law, these actions are also taken as a childs abuse and should be punished according to the law.
The Law
The child protection law is a very important document which is available for everyone who wants to see it and could be found on the official site of Idahos government in section 16 devoted to Juvenile Proceedings, Chapter 16 Child Protective Act (Child protective act, ID, Idaho Statues B.16, 2011).
Military requirements for child abuse reporting
Coordination of civilian child welfare by the military in pursuit of information on alleged child abuse is a mandate given to the Secretary of Defense Law (Kisiel & Lyons, 2014). Children in military families are well protected against child abuse and there are strategies to mitigate the occurrence of such incidences. The family advocacy program established in Section 1787 of Title 10 prevents the occurrence of child abuse (Kisiel & Lyons, 2014).
The Department of Defense works closely with the states to ensure that the local governments hand over every detail and information on child abuse. States have the authority and responsibility to investigate and interrogate any act that is considered to be in gross violation of children’s rights. Currently, civilian welfare agencies are not empowered directly to collect information and allegations of child abuse from military families (Kisiel & Lyons, 2014).
Therefore, the Department of Defense directs the military to set up memoranda of understanding to mitigate the problem of accessing information from the military community. Also, there is no single statutory authority that requires the state and local governments to be submissive to the Department of Defense (Kisiel & Lyons, 2014). Therefore, in reporting cases of child abuse, the military community is advised to go through the relevant and appropriate military channels for justice to be administered.
The military response to child abuse reports
In a case of child abuse, the DoD requires the state to hand over the case files to its family advocacy officers who are authorized by the military laws to conduct the investigations. It should be organized according to the DoD Directive 6400.1 (Palusci & Vandervort, 2014). There are several requirements in establishing a state statute and they include child protective service caseworkers. These are the people with the authority to question the clients reporting the case to a military tribunal.
The statute gives these workers the authority to share information with the relevant military authorities (Palusci & Vandervort, 2014). This process helps in creating a consistent and authoritative approach in conducting a well-collaborated oversight on the military community (Palusci & Vandervort, 2014). Although military codes and protocols may restrict access to critical information, the state’s children department and the military family advocacy program are allowed to collaborate.
These collaborative measures allow two parties to open channels of communication and hence creating a point of conduct where child abuse and neglect can be addressed lawfully without contravening military protocols. Ultimately, the protection of every child is a state responsibility regardless of the parents’ occupations. However, the military receives special treatment in most cases mainly due to aspects that touch on national security. Understanding this is therefore important to follow the right procedures I dealing with child abuse cases in the military so that both parties are satisfactorily served.
References
Child protective act, ID, Idaho Statues B.16 (2011), Chapter 16 (Id. Stat. 2011).
Jirik, S., & Sanders, S. (2014). Analysis of elder abuse statutes across the United States, 2011–2012. Journal of gerontological social work, 57(5), 478-497.
Johnson, B., McBride, D., Hopkins, G., & Pepper, S. (2014). An examination of parent–child relationships and teen substance use: a brief report. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 23(4), 210-216.
Kisiel, C. L., & Lyons, J. S. (2014). Dissociation as a mediator of psychopathology among sexually abused children and adolescents. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1(1), 12-16.
Palusci, V. J., & Vandervort, F. E. (2014). Universal reporting laws and child maltreatment report rates in large US counties. Children and Youth Services Review, 38(1), 20-28.
Child Protective Act of 2014.