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Since 1987, the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes have been actively combating child abuse by implementing programs for prevention and treatment. This paper outlines the history of this effort and current programs and procedures for countering child abuse and neglect. Sections cover: (1) recognition of child abuse problems on the Fort Peck Reservation in the 1980s; (2) federal funding of a sexual abuse victims treatment program on the reservation in 1990; (3) the interagency agreement child protection team and its assessment and evaluation processes; (4) child protection helping agencies and the process for resolution of interagency conflict; (5) definitions of child abuse and neglect in the Fort Peck Tribes Comprehensive Code of Justice; (6) an informal process for referral of children at risk of abuse or neglect, aimed at family strengthening and preservation; (7) the formal process for court hearings and decisions; (8) four tribal prevention and treatment programs for families and children at risk (providing culturally relevant counseling and therapy to children and family members, legal advocacy, and preparation for court); and (9) the influence of welfare payments and public housing regulations on family behavior. (SV)

This practicum was designed to enhance the self-esteem of abusive and potentially abusive parents. A combination of strategies was used to enhance self-esteem and to help parents solve problems in an appropriate manner. The intervention strategy included three objectives: (1) gain the confidence of the participants; (2) use a curriculum that allowed parents to explore and express their feelings about their past and future as these related to their parenting skills; and (3) presentation of situations that stimulated parental problem solving. Materials from an existing curriculum on self-esteem in abusive parents was used on the parents of children (ages birth to five years) in a private, non-profit child care center. Most of the parents were referred by social agencies in response to suspected abuse or neglect. Participants were allowed ample time during individual and group sessions to discuss their concerns and questions regarding their roles as parents. Pre- and post-test measurements indicated that all program objectives were met. Parents improved their ability to approach parenting problems in a positive rather than in an abusive manner. It is believed that much of the program's success had to do with the individual attention that each parent received. (RJM)

A practicum was designed to assist a private college in maintaining accreditation with the state of Washington in producing certified teachers with training in the identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Teachers and counselors are recognized as court mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, but prior to the implementation of this practicum, no training in this area had been provided through the department of education at the college. A new state law went into effect during the implementation of the practicum requiring that all certifying teachers prove adjudicated coursework in child abuse and neglect. An approved syllabus was developed for an undergraduate course that included a substantial component on child abuse training, and for a graduate course specifically dealing with identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect within the school context. The courses were taught to undergraduate and graduate students. Analysis of pre- and post-tests revealed that, initially, graduate students in counseling were no better prepared to identify or report child abuse and neglect than were undergraduate education students. Both groups improved in understanding and skill during the course enrollment. Both groups were taught to fulfill their roles as court mandated reporters, and the teacher trainees met the new state requirements for certification by taking either course. Appendixes include the pretest/posttest, syllabi for the two courses, and a detailed discussion of test questions directed at specific practicum objectives. (Contains 41 references.) (NB)

Due to their lack of knowledge concerning legal aspects of education, the staff of a preschool was uncertain about the legality of accepted practices in early childhood education and, consequently, exhibited low morale. To remedy the situation, the director of a preschool and kindergarten implemented and evaluated a 10-week practicum intervention designed to acquaint staff members with legal issues concerning their jobs. A legal expert was consulted and changes in school policies were recommended. A series of workshops addressed these areas of concern: (1) child abuse; (2) negligence; (3) safety and first aid; and (4) children's school records. Each workshop focused on legal questions and ways the staff could function professionally while protecting themselves from legal action. Evaluation data suggested that the intervention was effective. Interaction in workshops led to increased closeness and higher morale among participants. Practices that might be considered legally questionable or lead to legal accusations were modified by most participants. Although some staff members became overly cautious after learning about possible legal problems, most felt more confident than before instruction. Appendices provide related materials, including tabulated questionnaires, interview questions, proposed additions to school policy, and workshop handouts. (Author/RH)

The Garvey School District in Rosemead, California, received a grant from the Los Angeles County Office of Education to implement a Primary Prevention Program for child abuse and neglect. In order to implement the program, the District's Child Abuse Advisory Board was charged with the responsibility of developing suitable topics for a Teacher Training and Resource Manual. A list of topics compiled from a review of the literature was analyzed, discussed, and approved. The selected topics included the following: (1) the definition of a "Primary Prevention Program" (i.e., a training and educational program for children directed at preventing the occurrence of child abuse and at reducing the general vulnerability of children); (2) major goals of the program (i.e., to provide training sessions in the area of child abuse prevention to students, staff, and parents); (3) physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse, including physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment; (4) the Garvey School District Board's policy on reporting child abuse; (5) cultural considerations related to the child-rearing practices of Hispanics and Asians; (6) supportive intervention techniques to be used by teachers; and (7) community resources. (EJV)

A practicum designed to strengthen and expand day care staff members' knowledge about working with preschool children from crisis families had the following goals: (1) to provide staff with information about children in stressful situations; (2) to help staff recognize child behaviors that call for special attention; (3) to help staff implement appropriate play programs for their clients; and (4) to encourage staff to provide an understanding and warm atmosphere for the children. Fifteen staff members at a child crisis center for mainly Native American children in western Canada participated in a four-session in-service training program that dealt with the children's problem behaviors. These included aggressive, withdrawn, developmentally delayed, unusually sensitive, and overly friendly behaviors. Analysis of data revealed that the staff did learn about the problem behaviors, and observation showed that they learned to respond appropriately to such behaviors as well, mainly by encouraging developmentally appropriate play activities for each child and by interacting in ways that respected the child's culture and problems. Participants felt the training program was worthwhile. It has been continued at the center and may be initiated at similar locations in the area. A list of 60 references, as well as related program materials, are appended. (SAK)

The focus of a child caring facility had changed from caring exclusively for orphans to serving a broader population of abandoned, abused, and neglected children. Because no effective marketing tool existed within this child caring agency to make agency identification and information readily accessible to county departments of social services (DSSs), an information brochure was created and distributed by mail and personal presentations to county DSSs. The brochure became a permanent part of the agency program. An "agency identification survey" was used as the primary evaluation of the need for a marketing brochure. The survey was completed by social workers in county DSSs within a 75-mile radius of the agency. A "daily log" was then kept to document the number of child placement requests made by county DSSs and the names of counties represented by the requests. The most important post-survey improvement came in the area of increased county knowledge of the agency. The results justified the creation of the agency brochure. Appendixes include a sample survey and a sample "daily log." (Author/ABL)