Trauma
At Hope 4 Hurting Kids, we recognize that there are a wide variety of things that can give rise hurt and pain in a young persons life. Not all such circumstances would be considered traumatic, but there are millions and millions of kids and teens who have experienced trauma in their young lives including abuse, abandonment, domestic violence, natural disasters and more. This page is dedicated to helping young people deal with the traumas they face and the impacts of those traumas. We have included in this page destructive behaviors some young people engage in as a results of pain and trauma. If you would like to limit your search to a particular area, please click on one of the options below. (Note: there are a variety of family issues including divorce and family disruption which constitute trauma in a young person’s life. These are dealt with separately here on Hope 4 Hurting Kids and can be found here.)
Tell Me About When Moms and Dads Go to Jail by Judi Goozh and Sue Jeweler (An H4HK Review)
About the Book Tell Me About When Moms and Dads Go to Jail is both a book for children about when mom or dad goes to jail and also a guide for parents and other helping adults to help kids deal with incarcerated parents. Who Is This Book For? This book is aimed primarily at elementary aged kids from 6 to 11 and the adults who love them. Our Synopsis of the Book The first half of Tell Me About When Moms and Dads Go to Jail is meant for kids whose parents have gone to jail or prison. Written as ...
Did You Know (Children and Trauma)?
Did you know that something a child experiences today could affect him or her for years to come? Did you see the latest research on adults who faced a childhood trauma? (You can see complete chart at this site. http://www.ministrybestpractices.com/2012/11/adult-disorders-linked-to-childhood.html). The chart I’m referencing is the study I mention several weeks ago called the ACE Study, Adverse Childhood Experiences (http://acestudy.org/). This chart is great for ministers to have in their offices. It is one of the first charts I’ve seen that ministers can take and use in their churches as they minister to congregants. It explains what happens to adults ...
A Sample Church Policy on Reporting Suspected Abuse and Neglect
Welcome to Part 10 of 10 in our series on child abuse and neglect. After completing the original nine-part series on child abuse and neglect, I began to search online for sample policies to link to for additional resources. I found quite a few. Many were very similar, and rather than reproduce them all here, I have compiled one singular sample policy which includes elements of many of the policies reviewed. Before getting to the specific sample policy on reporting suspected neglect and abuse, I wanted to share other sections included in many of the general safety and security policies ...
Sources of Additional Information on Child Abuse and Neglect
Welcome to Part 9 of 10 in our series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be laying out some additional sources of information on child abuse and neglect used throughout this report. Most of the information in this article was garnered from the following sources. While I have not attempted to site individual sources for each piece of information presented, I am grateful to these resources for providing the information that comprises this article. I hope that the accumulation and synthesis of the information from these numerous sources will help those who work with kids, and particularly those ...
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
Welcome to Part 8 of 10 in our series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be examining how to report suspected abuse or neglect. Where to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment To find out who to call in your state, visit the State Child Abuse Reporting Numbers page at the Child Welfare Information Gateway. The Child Welfare Information Gateway also includes a listing of Toll-Free Crisis Hotline Numbers that you should keep on file. You can also contact Childhelp®. Childhelp® is a national organization providing crisis assistance and other counseling and referral services. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline ...
Rooting for the Underdog (Stand Up to Bullying)
Editor’s Note: Today, February 23, 2018 is “Stand Up to Bullying Day.” Jackie Glass, a contributor to Hope 4 Hurting Kids, asked that we publish this article from her about bullying back on Stand Up to Bullying Day in 2012. Ever since I was a little girl, I have rooted for the underdog. And, this is not simply because I’m a Cubs fan. My “underdog” antenna always seemed extra sensitive. I remember feeling extreme sadness when no students on the bus would move over and let the boy from the farm sit next to them. I remember a girl being ...
How to Talk to an Abused or Neglected Child
Welcome to part 7 of 10 in our series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be exploring how to talk to a child you know has been abused or neglected. If you find out for certain that a child is being abused, or if a child comes right out and tells you, it can be an uncomfortable situation, and it is often difficult to find the “right thing” to say to them. Many times there is no “right thing” to say, but you can be prepared by knowing how to handle the situation. Here are some suggestions. Avoid ...
What to Do If You Suspect Child Abuse or Neglect
Welcome to part 6 of our 10 part series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be discussing what you should do if you suspect potential abuse or neglect. General Goals Before we jump into the specifics about what to do when you suspect abuse or neglect, there are some overarching goals, or guiding principles, which we should all have when it comes to abuse and neglect, particularly the church. These include: Protecting the child from any further harm Stopping the offender’s abuse Healing the victim’s brokenness Restoring the family (or helping victims to mourn the loss of relationship ...
Recognizing Signs of Potential Child Abuse and Neglect
Welcome to part 5 of our 10 part series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be looking at signs to look for indicating potential abuse or neglect. RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF POTENTIAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT As those who work with children, and those interested in ministering to at risk kids, it is important that we understand the warning signs of potential abuse and neglect. This section includes some general guidance as well as specific things to look for in both children and their parents for the different types of abuse and neglect. I have gathered this information from the ...
Risks of Child Abuse and Neglect Based on Family Structure
Welcome to part 4 of our 10 part series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be exploring the increased risks of child abuse and neglect for children of divorce, cohabiting households and single parent families. One of the portions of the NIS-4 report that struck us was the increased risk of abuse and neglect for children of divorce, children living in cohabiting relationships and children living in single parent families. Throughout this discussion of different charts and statistics below, you will note that one thing is absolutely consistent; the least risk of child maltreatment is for those children ...
Introduction to the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect
Welcome to part 3 of our 10 part series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be introducing the national survey that served as the basis for the statistics included in this article. Before we jump right in to the alarming statistics regarding child maltreatment, some background on the source of the information used for this article and a definition of terms would be helpful. For purposes of the statistics cited in this report, we have utilized the Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4). What is the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse? In January ...
What Is Child Abuse and Neglect?
Welcome to Part 2 of our 10 part series on child abuse and neglect. Today, we will be exploring the various types of child abuse and neglect. Abuse and neglect are difficult words to define as we will see later in this article when we start to examine the many different kinds of abuse. Let’s look first at what abuse and neglect are according to federal law. In a pamphlet entitled, What Is Child Abuse and Neglect?, the Child Welfare Information Gateway of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services explains that: “Federal legislation lays the groundwork for State ...
