Featured Tips

To spank or not to spank. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly urges parents against spanking or other forms of physical punishment as a discipline technique. Remember there is no evidence that physical punishment improves a child’s behavior; and it is more likely that physical punishment can have negative consequences on your child’s development.

Lives Changed

The parenting program pushed me to come to terms with my own abilities and willingness to change because I wanted to for myself and I needed to as support for my girlfriend.

~ Ward, Parenting Training Programs participant

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What is Abuse?
About Child Abuse

About Child Abuse

Most families care deeply about their children and do not intend to harm them. But sometimes every day stressors from life’s hectic pace can take a toll. Parents with the best of intentions can find themselves short-tempered, feeling overwhelmed, isolated and alone.

They can take these frustrations out on those closest to them – their children and family. Other families may be at higher risk for child abuse because of mental health issues, drug and alcohol dependency, underemployment, teen pregnancy, and isolation. Still others are raising their children the way they were raised – continuing the cycle of abuse.

But whatever the reason, child abuse can happen anywhere and to anyone. All parents and caregivers need a “tool box” of proven skills that can them ride out any storm they encounter and build the resiliency of their family. The Family Tree and other community groups understand the added pressures for families and are working to provide a safety net for all Marylanders.

Consequences of Child Abuse

In the United States, there are 3.6 million cases of child abuse are reported to protective services each year – 27,000 in Maryland alone. 12,000 of those cases, children are living in homes where abuse either occurred or has been in question.

Each year, the United States spends $103.8 billion on the pervasive and long-lasting effects of child abuse on children, their families, and society as a whole. It includes more than $33 billion in direct costs for foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment, and law enforcement. Indirect costs of over $70 billion include loss of productivity, as well as expenditures related to chronic health problems, special education, and the criminal justice system.

In Maryland, over $2 billion was spent annually on child maltreatment and its long term consequences.

The good news is that child abuse can be prevented. The Family Tree is here to provide all families with the child rearing information and education they need to ensure their children grow healthy, happy and strong.

Success

The Family Tree has an impressive rate of success with the families we serve. Over the past decade, we have followed and implemented evidence-based programs that educate parents and caregivers and protect children. Each year, The Family Tree serves over 23,000 parents children and caregivers in Maryland. We are consistently evaluating our programs to ensure they are serving the needs of our families.

Our results are exciting. Participants in our education programs significantly improved parenting skills. Their average score increased in all five areas associated with child abuse and neglect. Such as discipline patterns, empathy, power and authority and developmental expectations. Those parents who attended at least four Parents Anonymous® classes experienced improvement on all four of the key child maltreatment outcomes, with statistical significance on three: parenting distress, parenting rigidity, and the use of psychological aggression when disciplining children.

More To Be Done

Unfortunately, for every child we serve, we know there are countless more who need our help. Funding cuts have been dramatic over the past few years and the money to support these services has dwindled. Additionally, government funding does not support the full range of services necessary to assist families in providing safe, nurturing care and education for their children, or, when necessary, to develop an alternative permanency option.

Our children need strong healthy families and supportive communities. We must join forces and work together to prevent child abuse; prevent children from unnecessarily entering foster care by keeping them safely with their families; and promoting the safe and timely reunification of children in foster care.