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Child Maltreatment in Canada
In recognition of the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse (November 19) and National Child Day in Canada (November 20), this edition of the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence (NCFV) E-bulletin focuses on child maltreatment in Canada.
National Child Day promotes awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This year marks its 20th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has developed promotional materials on child rights for distribution across the country. These are available through the National Child Day website (www.childday.gc.ca) and include an activity guide, a colouring poster, and other information on child rights. Please take time on November 20th to celebrate National Child Day.
The NCFV E-bulletin is a quarterly newsletter for those interested in family violence prevention. It is produced by PHAC, on behalf of the Family Violence Initiative (FVI) of the Government of Canada.
We want to hear from you – please send your comments and feedback to our editor at: ncfv-cnivf@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
Police-Reported Family Violence Against Children and Youth
Statistics Canada's Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics recently released the annual report, Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile 2009. It includes a fact sheet that examines the incidents of physical and sexual violence committed by family members against children and youth (under the age of 18) that came to the attention of police during 20071. Some of the highlights are as follows:
- Nearly 53,400 children and youth were the victims of a police-reported assault, with about 3 in 10 of these incidents perpetrated by a family member.
- The rate of police-reported physical and sexual assault against children and youth was higher than the rate for adults (833 children and youth versus 761 adults).
- When children and youth were victims of family violence, a parent was identified as the abuser in nearly 6 in 10 incidents.
- Rates of family violence against children and youth have increased over the past decade: from 1998 to 2007 the rate of family violence against children and youth increased by 23%.
- The rate of family-related sexual assault against children and youth was more than 4 times higher for girls then for boys (107 per 100,000 population versus 25 per 100,000 population).
- Male family members were identified as the accused in 96% of family related sexual assault, and 71% of physical assaults against children and youth.
To view, download or order the 2009 report, visit the NCFV website or call 1-800-267-1291.
1. Police-reported data come from the Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR2) Survey. The UCR2 Survey collects detailed information on individual criminal incidents reported to or detected by a subset of police. In 2007, a subset of 153 police services reported to the UCR2, representing approximately 94% of the population of Canada.
Child Maltreatment: A Public Health Issue
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) plays an important role in addressing and preventing child maltreatment, one that complements the mandates of other sectors and jurisdictions. The following are some of its activities in this area:
PHAC carries out the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, a national multisectoral steering committee and university-based researchers. The CIS is a periodic, ongoing national study on the rates of substantiated maltreatment and the characteristics of children and families reported to and investigated by child welfare services. To date, two national CIS studies have been undertaken (in 1998 and 2003) and the results from a third, conducted in 2008, are expected to be released in 2010.
On behalf of the Family Violence Initiative, a collaboration of 15 federal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations, PHAC operates the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence (NCFV). Recently released publications distributed by the NCFV include resources from the World Health Organization: Preventing Child Maltreatment: A guide to taking action and generating evidence and Child maltreatment and alcohol. To order these and other resources on child abuse and neglect, visit the NCFV website or call 1-800-267-1291.
PHAC also supports early intervention programs that promote the health and social development of children and their families living in conditions of risk, including the Community Action Program for Children (CAPC), the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP), and the Aboriginal Head Start Program (AHS). To build community capacity to address the issue of family violence, the CAPC/CPNP National Projects Fund supported the development of a toolkit entitled, Addressing Family Violence... Peace begins at home. It includes a CD, a Resource Inventory and is comprised of three booklets: a guide for staff and volunteers; a guide for parents and guardians; and a guide for community partners. Click here to view or download this resource.
To share information on effective interventions for preventing and addressing public health issues, PHAC recently launched the online database Canadian Best Practices Portal for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention. The Agency is currently working to increase the number of family violence prevention projects on the Portal, particularly in the area of child maltreatment. For further information or to search for projects on the Portal, please visit: www.cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca.
Lastly, and in recognition of PHAC's committment to promoting the health and well-being of children, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada released the second annual Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, which focuses on children. The report identifies abuse and neglect as one of six key areas of concern. Evidence shows that maltreatment can negatively influence risk factors for health (such as educational attainment, trust, aggression, social connectedness and sexual behaviours), and result in adverse health outcomes in childhood, later in life and across generations. Click here to view or download the Report.
The NCFV offers resources on family violence, including overview papers, reports, discussion papers, handbooks and videos on family violence issues. To preview our recently released resources, please see our What's New page. NCFV publications are available free of charge, in hard copy or online, in English and French and in alternative formats upon request. To order, please visit our website or contact us.
New in the NCFV:
Family Violence in Canada: Statistical Profile 2009
This is the 12th annual Family Violence in Canada report produced by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics under the federal Family Violence Initiative. This report provides current data on the nature and extent of family violence in Canada as well as trends over time, as part of the ongoing initiative to inform policy makers and the public about family violence issues. This year, the focus of the report is a profile of shelters that provide residential services to women and children fleeing abusive situations.
- Directory of Services for Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
The NCFV provides an extensive library reference collection, housed in the Health Canada Departmental Library. The following is a short-list of resources related to child maltreatment. A full bibliographic search can be conducted online. Resources may be borrowed through an interlibrary loan through your local public, academic or institutional library:
Childhood Maltreatment
by Christine Wekerle, Alec L. Miller, David A. Wolfe and Carrie B. Spindel
Toronto, ON : Hogrefe & Huber Publishers, 2006
ncfv/RC569.5/.C55/W437/2006
Intended for practitioners and students, this book presents an overview of current knowledge on the effects of child maltreatment on mental health, provides diagnostic guidance, and profiles promising and effective evidence-based interventions.
Child Maltreatment: An introduction (2nd edition)
by Cindy L. Miller-Perrin, Cindy L. and Robin D. Perrin
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006
ncfv/HV6626.52/M647/2006
Looking at child maltreatment from both a psychological and sociological viewpoint, this book describes the current knowledge about various types of violence against children.
It provides an historical overview, discusses definitions and issues in research, and then explores causal factors, prevalence information and treatment, policy and prevention issues.
Eradicating violence against children: Council of Europe actions
by the Council of Europe
Strasbourg : Council of Europe, 2008
ncfv/HQ789/E65/2008
In this book, the Council of Europe describes its work in promoting and securing children's human rights, monitoring its countries' compliance to standards, and raising awareness about the subject. It also describes how its policies are developed and the processes that have led to its conventions and other activities.
Seen, heard, and believed: What youth say about violence: For the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children
by Katherine Covell
Toronto: Save the Children, 2006
This report presents the results of a study on how youth in Canada feel violence affects them. Children aged 9-18 in the general
population and those from special populations (Aboriginal children, children in conflict with the law and children in care)
discuss violence in the five areas of the UN study: home, school, community, media and institutions.
World report on violence against children
by Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro; United Nations. Office of the Secretary-General. Study on Violence Against Children
Geneva: United Nations Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children, 2006
ncfv/HV6626.5/P654/2006
Intended to improve our understanding of the problem, this report describes both the scale and impact of violence against children at a global level. The report points out the need to identify and address the underlying causes of the various types of violence, and indicates that all sectors of society and levels of government have a role to play in confronting it.
In collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), the NCFV offers an extensive collection of videos that address family violence. Videos may be borrowed through NFB partner public libraries across Canada or through an interlibrary loan through your local public, academic or institutional library. To obtain a complete list of videos, libraries and distributors, please contact us or visit our online video catalogue and Addendum to the Video Catalogue.
Your Truth is Your Truth — Child Abuse –Adults’ Responsibilities
This video is designed for service providers and other professionals who
work with abused children. It explores issues such as reporting and related
fears, managing disclosure, and the importance of communication and
awareness in order to protect children from abuse. Through a series of
interviews, professionals discuss their responsibility to address child abuse. (2004)
Your Truth is Your Truth – Child Abuse – What You Can Do
This video, hosted by two fourteen-year-olds, emphasizes to children that
they have a right to be protected from abuse and encourages them to speak
to a trusted adult to get help. Each section of the video is framed with
discussion topics that a group leader can use to engage children in some of
the more advanced concepts. This video should accompany Your Truth is
Your Truth — Child Abuse – Adults’ Responsibilities. (2004)
Introducing Dr. Harriet MacMillan
Working at McMaster University with the Offord Centre for Child Studies, Dr. Harriet MacMillan is a pediatrician and psychiatrist with major research interests in children’s and women’s mental health, in addition to Aboriginal health. She is the inaugural holder of the David R. (Dan) Offord Chair in Child Studies. Dr. MacMillan’s research activities include investigation of the epidemiology of violence against women and children as well as the evaluation of interventions aimed at preventing child maltreatment and violence against women.
In collaboration with co-Principal Investigators, Drs. Susan Jack and Debbie Sheehan, Dr. MacMillan is currently leading the implementation of a pilot of the Nurse-Family Partnership Program (NFP) in Hamilton, Ontario. This is the first Canadian site to implement this internationally-recognized program proven to reduce child abuse and neglect. The research team is currently in the first phase of the pilot to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the program, which examines recruitment and retention of NFP clients, and the perspectives of nurses, clients and stakeholders on their experience with the program. Data from phase one should start to become available in approximately one year. Additionally, the team is collaborating with potential partners in other provinces to seek funding for phase two of the NFP pilot, which would involve a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the program’s effectiveness within the Canadian context.
The NFP was originally developed in 1977 in the United States by Dr. David Olds. The program provides home visitation services to low-income, first-time mothers, with the goals of improving pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, and families’ economic self-sufficiency. Since 1977, the NFP has undergone ongoing longitudinal randomized controlled trials in various locations, and is one of the only programs rigorously proven to reduce child abuse and neglect, among other important outcomes. For further information on the NFP, please visit www.nursefamilypartnership.org.
For more information on Dr. Harriet MacMillan, please visit: http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/psychiatryneuroscience/faculty/macmillan/
Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare
The Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare (CECW) is one of four Centres of Excellence for Children’s Well-Being funded by the Public Health Agency Canada (PHAC). The CECW fosters research and disseminates knowledge about the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Its mandate is to ensure that advanced knowledge on key issues of children’s health is provided to those who need it most - researchers, service providers, parents, children and youth, community groups, non-governmental organizations and federal, provincial and territorial governments.
CECW's active research program includes analysis of PHAC's Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS). The CIS has made a major impact in shedding new light on the incidence and characteristics of child maltreatment in Canada. As noted in our Feature Article, data collection for the 2008 cycle (CIS-2008) is complete and the final report will be released in 2010. Five provincial incidence reports (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario & Quebec) will also be produced as well as a First Nations Incidence Report (FNCIS-2008).
To bridge the gap across research and practice, the CECW also disseminates a wide variety of information through its bilingual website. The Centre's Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal provides access to up-to-date research on Canadian child welfare programs and policies. Click here to access hundreds of Canadian publications, reports and information sheets. The Research Portal also contains a database of Canadian Child Welfare researchers.
The Centre also publishes two electronic newsletters:
- Research Watch is an inter-university collaborative learning partnership that tracks the major child welfare journals on a monthly basis. Click here to subscribe and/or view the archive of Research Watch articles.
- Canadian Research in Brief (CRIB) is a derivative of Research Watch that produces monthly reviews of Canadian child welfare articles found in major journals. Click here to subscribe and/or view the archive of CRIB articles, including the September 2009 edition.
Additionally, the CECW disseminates more general information about child welfare in Canada, including: FAQ's on child welfare, Canadian child welfare events, statistics and legislation, and links to various national, provincial/territorial and international organizations involved in child welfare.
For more information about the CECW, go to: http://www.cwrp.ca/
Key Dates
November is Family Violence Prevention Month in Alberta and New Brunswick
November 15 to 21 - Bullying Awareness Week
November 19 - World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse
November 20 - National Child Day
November 25 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
November 25 to December 10 - 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Events
November 15 to 21, 2009 – Seventh Annual Bullying Awareness Week, Cochrane, AB
November 19 to 20, 2009 – RESOLVE Research Day 2009 – Healing from violence and abuse, Regina, SK
December 1 to 2, 2009 - Shaping the Quality in Child Welfare by Meeting Today’s Challenges and Building Tomorrow’s Confidence, Toronto, ON
January 25 to 29, 2010 - San Diego International Conference on Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA, USA
February 22 to 23, 2010 - The Early Years Conference 2010 - The Rights of the Child, Victoria, BC
February 24 to 26, 2010 - National Summit on Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Across the Lifespan, Dallas, TX, USA
March 11, 2010 - First International On-line Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Conference
March 22 to 25, 2010 - The 26th National Symposium on Child Abuse, Huntsville, AL, USA
March 24 to 26, 2010 - Eastern Conference on Child Sexual Abuse Treatment, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
April 18 to 24, 2010 - 5th annual National Victims of Crime Awareness Week (NVCAW) in Canada
May 3 to 5, 2010 - Taking Action against Child Abuse – Joining Together Conference, Calgary, AB
May 17 to 19, 2010 - Prevent Child Abuse America National Conference, Jacksonville, FL, USA
June 6 to 9, 2010 - 2010 International Conference on Child Welfare and Well-Being, Toronto, ON
June 7 to 10, 2010 - Pathways to Resilience II: The Social Ecology of Resilience, Halifax, NS
The NCFV E-bulletin invites provincial and territorial partners to highlight their initiatives as well as provide information, updates and other news.
Manitoba recently launched the Workplace Initiative to Support Employees (WISE) on Family Violence project to help employers and co-workers recognize and respond to signs of domestic violence within the workplace. It includes a comprehensive training program that targets supervisors, managers and human resource personnel in both public and private workplaces. An Employer’s Toolkit containing practical information and promotional material is used in conjunction with three-hour workshops delivered by a male-female facilitator team who address the issue of domestic violence from both a theoretical and business management perspective.
The WISE on Family Violence is a joint initiative of Manitoba Family Services and Housing, Manitoba Justice (Victim Services) and Manitoba Labour and Immigration (Status of Women). For information on training sessions, organizations in Manitoba can contact the Family Violence Prevention Program directly at 204-945-1709. To download the WISE Employer’s Toolkit, go to: http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/fvpp_toolkit/index.html
The Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division (VSCPD) of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General in British Columbia is the provincial centre of responsibility for victims’ issues, restorative justice and crime prevention. The VSCPD is now also the responsibility centre for violence against women in B.C. On August 1, 2009, counselling and outreach services for women and children fleeing violence were realigned in government to better integrate and coordinate services and supports for victims of family violence in the province. Division funded programs now include: Stopping the Violence Counselling; Children Who Witness Abuse Counselling; Outreach and Multicultural Outreach Services for Women Fleeing Abuse; Community Coordination for Women’s Safety Program; Police-based Victim Services; Community-based Victim Services; Crime Victim Assistance Program; Victim Safety Unit; Victim Court Support Program; and VictimLINK 1-800 Helpline.
VSCPD is also chairing a newly developed cross-ministry Violence Against Women Steering Team to address violence against women with the goal of enhancing safety through increased coordination across government. Priorities include risk assessment and safety planning, information sharing and examining/implementing specialized response models to family violence. These responses include Domestic Violence Units and Elder Abuse Units which provide rapid follow-up on high-risk domestic violence cases reported to police and support older, vulnerable adults.
2009 Government Conference on Children's Rights
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and National Child Day, the Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Heritage, will be hosting the first Government Conference on Children's Rights on November 18, 2009 at the Palais des Congrès in Gatineau, Québec. The objectives of the conference are to learn about Canada's obligations under the Convention and its relevance to domestic laws, policies and programs.
All federal officials are invited to attend this conference. Please note that live webcasting of the conference will be available for participants from outside the national capital region only. For more information, please consult the Preliminary Program for the Conference.
NVCAW 2009 Symposium Presentations Now Posted Online
The presentations from the National Victims of Crime Awareness Week (NVCAW) 2009 federal Symposium have now been posted online. The federal Symposium was held on April 27, 2009 to launch the fourth annual National Victims of Crime Awareness Week. It took place in downtown Ottawa and was attended by over 225 people.
Six workshops were presented during the one-day symposium: Meeting the Needs of Child Victims; Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women; Services for Young People in the Sex Trade; Cultural Considerations for Supporting Aboriginal Victims; The British Columbia Disaster Response Model; and Victims and Restorative Justice.
The symposium also featured an afternoon plenary session that included two formal presentations: The Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet and Prosecuting Internet Child Exploitation Cases.
Click on one of the links above to view the presentation of your choice, or visit www.victimsweek.gc.ca and click on the "2009 Symposium” tab to view the Table of Contents.
New Information Materials to Prevent Elder Abuse
As part of the Federal Elder Abuse Initiative, Justice Canada provided funding to the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) to research and produce new materials on elder abuse. This fall, PLEI-NB released two information booklets entitled: Preventing Abuse and Neglect of Seniors and Are You Dating? Older Adults and Healthy Relationships.
The booklets are also available as audio CDs or in large print versions. Anyone interested in obtaining these materials may contact PLEIS-NB at pleisnb@web.ca or call 1-888-236-2444. They are also available on the PLEIS-NB website and at the Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat website.
The Journey to Justice
The Centre for Children & Families in the Justice System recently released the publication entitled, The Journey to Justice: A Guide to Thinking, Talking and Working as a Team for Young Victims of Crime in Canada's North. This 90-page guide adapts the principles of helping children and teenagers who testify in court for use in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
The Journey to Justice guide was funded by the Department of Justice Canada. To view or download a copy, go to: http://www.lfcc.on.ca/Journey_to_Justice_in_the_North.html
The NCFV’s January 2010 E-bulletin will focus on engaging men and boys in family violence prevention.
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Content of the NCFV E-Bulletin is provided as an information-sharing service; inclusion does not represent endorsement by the PHAC or FVI member departments.
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National Clearinghouse on Family Violence: Telephone 1-800-267-1291; TTY 1-800-465-7735; Fax (613) 941-8930; Web site http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/nc-cn; e-mail ncfv-cnivf@phac-aspc.gc.ca
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