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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 12:02 pm
Time: 12:02 pm
Results for physical abuse
2 results foundAuthor: Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit (superu) Title: What Works for Children Exposed to Family Violence? Summary: This What Works synthesises international evidence with information about current services provided in New Zealand for children exposed to family violence. It makes recommendations for policymakers directing new investment, and for practitioners delivering services for these children. International evidence shows that the best interventions for children exposed to family violence: - include therapeutic work for both children and their non-abusive parent - focus on strengthening relationships between children and their non-abusive parent - are informed by knowledge about how trauma affects children - address each child's individual needs - are delivered as early as possible and by highly qualified staff We surveyed New Zealand’s current providers of services for children exposed to family violence and found that interventions focus on advocating for children's needs, and educating children and parents about violence and its effects. Services offer a safe space for children to be heard and are perceived as approachable by clients. Specific activities such as practical tools, resources and therapeutic activities are particularly valuable. Current responses in New Zealand are targeted at children who are direct victims of physical abuse, with no differential response for those who are exposed to violence in other ways. Interventions for children exposed to family violence are crucial for interrupting inter-generational patterns of violence and creating long-term change. The present political context of social investment and the establishment of the Ministry for Vulnerable Children - Oranga Tamariki presents an opportunity to establish new evidence-based interventions in New Zealand for children exposed to family violence. Details: New Zealand: Social Policy and Research Unit, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2018 at: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/What%20Works%20for%20Children%20Exposed%20to%20Family%20Violence_Superu.pdf Year: 2017 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/What%20Works%20for%20Children%20Exposed%20to%20Family%20Violence_Superu.pdf Shelf Number: 151451 Keywords: Children Evidence-Based Approach Family Violence Physical AbusePolicy Recommendations |
Author: Kezelman, Cathy Title: The Cost of Unresolved Childhood Trauma and Abuse in Adults in Australia Summary: Executive Summary Childhood trauma including abuse affects an estimated five million Australian adults. It is a substantial public health issue with significant individual and community health, welfare and economic repercussions. Unresolved childhood trauma has short-term and life-long impacts which substantially erode both national productivity and national well-being. It needs to be seen as a mainstream public health policy issue and responded to accordingly. Pegasus Economics estimates that if the impacts of child abuse (sexual, emotional and physical) on an estimated 3.7 million adults are adequately addressed through active timely and comprehensive intervention, the combined budget position of Federal, State and Territory Governments could be improved by a minimum of $6.8 billion annually. In the population of adult survivors of childhood trauma more broadly i.e. a figure of 5 million adults, this estimate rises to $9.1 billion. These figures represent a combined effect of higher Government expenditure and foregone tax revenue. If adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse experienced the same life outcomes as nontraumatised adults, the collective budget deficits of Australian governments would be improved, at a minimum, by an amount roughly equivalent to the entire Government outlay on tertiary education. These estimates, based on a conservative set of assumptions, indicate extraordinary cost savings. On different, but still plausible assumptions, the annual budgetary cost of unresolved childhood trauma could be as high as $24 billion. While child abuse includes sexual, physical and emotional abuse, childhood trauma is a broader more comprehensive category. For each, the common element is the powerlessness of the child, due to age and dependency, to prevent or minimise it. Early life trauma and abuse affect the developing brain and have many possible impacts on daily adult life. These include the coping strategies children adopt to minimise overwhelm. Such strategies, highly creative and potentially effective in the short-term, may still be used in adult life. Perpetuated when the underlying trauma is not resolved, these coping strategies are associated with health risks in adulthood. Reducing costs of childhood trauma -- Addressing child sexual, emotional and physical abuse alone could lead to a potential minimum gain of $6.8 billion for the combined Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. The minimum gain from addressing the problem of childhood trauma more generally is $9.1 billion. Active timely and comprehensive intervention, with appropriate support, resources, services and treatment enables adult survivors to participate more fully and productively in the Australian community. Governments are currently exploring a range of revenue measures and expenditure cuts to restore the budget position. As Australia's population ages the long-term prognosis for the budget is for continuing strain; the main driver of deteriorating finances is forecast health expenditures. The Commonwealth Government's most recent inter-generational report (Swan, 2012) showed the major future stress on government expenditures to be in health outlays. As a percentage of GDP, health expenditure is forecast to rise from 3.9% in this current year to 7.1% in 2049-50 (an almost doubling in proportional expenditure). Progress in reducing the impact of childhood trauma and abuse in adults can make a positive contribution not only to the health budget challenges that lie ahead but also to those related to the welfare and criminal justice systems and the lower taxation revenue associated with the impact. Active timely comprehensive intervention will help address childhood trauma and abuse in adults Active investment in specialist services Specialist services are needed to spearhead policy and practice responses to adult childhood trauma and abuse survivors. Active investment to support a coordinated comprehensive model of care, including continued and increased access to effective help lines and online services, is needed. Timely active comprehensive intervention including appropriate support, counselling, resources and services promotes recovery. When survivors comprehensively overcome their trauma they and their children are freed to live productive, healthy and constructive lives. A key by-product of addressing the impacts of childhood trauma in adults is a financial benefit to Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. People affected by unresolved childhood trauma incur significant costs on taxpayers. This occurs through higher Government expenditure on health spending, welfare support and criminal justice costs, as well as via lower taxation revenue. More and better trained treating practitioners - counsellors/therapists Unfortunately our public health system has evolved in a way which means that adult mental health services focus on addressing immediate health issues (such as depression and alcoholism) rather than identifying and addressing underlying causes (such as prior childhood trauma and abuse). A convenient and failsafe pathway to treatment - No wrong door Frontline practitioners: General Practitioners and nurse practitioners will inevitably see people who have been impacted by childhood trauma including abuse, on a daily basis. These contacts provide an opportunity to facilitate a process whereby the person who presents can start receiving the right support, either directly or through targeted referral including specialist counselling, ideally from an accredited practitioner. Training is needed to enable primary care practitioners to identify trauma survivors and to respond appropriately. System, service and institutional improvements - Trauma-informed practice Benefits can also be achieved by raising awareness around the possibility of unresolved trauma in people who seek diverse services across health and human service systems, agencies, organisations and institutions. Adults who experience the ongoing impacts of unresolved childhood trauma will necessarily need to access various services. Broad-based implementation of trauma-informed practice and responses will help minimise the impact of trauma and the risk of re-traumatisation of people who have experienced childhood trauma including abuse. Details: Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia: Blue Knot Foundation, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2019 at: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Portals/2/Economic%20Report/The%20cost%20of%20unresolved%20trauma_budget%20report%20fnl.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Portals/2/Economic%20Report/The%20cost%20of%20unresolved%20trauma_budget%20report%20fnl.pdf Shelf Number: 154214 Keywords: AbuseAdult SurvivorsChild AbuseChildhood TraumaCounsellingEmotional AbusePhysical AbusePublic HealthSexual AbuseSurvivorsTraumaVictim AssistanceVictim Services |