Conversations About O.U.R. Children

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Conversations About O.U.R. Children

• Harold Johnson Janet DesGeorges
• Investing in Family Support Conference
• Scottsdale, Arizona
• October 5, 2009

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Guiding Questions

• What are we talking about?
• Why should I have to deal with this problem?
• What do I need to know?
• How is this problem now being addressed?
• If I decide to get involved, what would I be
  expected to do?
• Where can I go for more information?

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What are we talking about?

• Collin Ray 11th Commandment video
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vCK3Rpo7_i-M

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Why should I have to deal with this problem?

• As a parent...
• ...the better I can observe, understand, and
  respond to my child, the more...
• ...my child will learn and the faster they will
  acquire language.
• ...effective I will be in sharing with others
  what my child CAN do.
• ...I can protect my child from situations in
  which they are risk to become a victim of abuse,
  or neglect.
• ...rapidly I will recognize and respond to
  possible instances of abuse, or neglect my, or
  other children experiences.

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Why (cont.)

• As a professional...
• ...the better I can observe, understand, and
  respond to my student, the more...
• ...the faster they will learn and acquire
  language
• ...effective I will be in sharing with others
  what my student CAN do.
• ...I can protect my student from situations in
  which they are risk to become a victim of abuse,
  or neglect.
• ...rapidly I will recognize and respond to
  possible instances of abuse, or neglect my, and
  other students experiences.
• ... likely I will meet my legal requirement as a
  mandatory reporter of possible instances of
  CA/N.

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What do I need to know?

• We must be prepared for the reality that children
  with disabilities experience CA/N at a rate that
  is significantly higher than that of their
  nondisabled peers (Sullivan Knuton, 2000)
• 9 of children w/o disabilities
• Occurs most frequently during elementary school
  ages
• 31 of children w/ disabilities
• Occurs most frequently during preschool ages
• We must be aware that abuse occurs anyplace that
  the abuser and the child can be alone
  (Shakeshaft, 2004).

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What (cont.)

• We must be able to observe, understand and
  respond to the different types of abuse, i.e.,
• 59.0 Neglect
• 10.8 Physical Abuse
• 7.6 Sexual Abuse
• 4.2 Emotional Abuse
• 13.1 Multiple Maltreatments
• (Child Maltreatment Report, 2007)

Note This data does not differentiate between
the occurrence of CA/N as experienced by children
with and without disabilities.
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What (cont.)

• We must realize that...
• ...while presence of a disability is noted as a
  risk factor for CA/N (Child Maltreatment
  Report, 2007), incidences of CA/N, as experienced
  by children with disabilities, are considered to
  be substantially underreported (Sullivan,
  Brookhouser, Scanlan, 2000) due to a lack of
  professional preparation by human services
  personnel (Bonner Hensley, 1997) and current
  reporting protocols.
• ...available research indicates a significantly
  higher rate of sexual abuse experienced by
  individuals who are d/hh (Obinna, Osterbaan,
  DeVore, Wendy, 2005 Obinna, Krueger, Osterbaan,
  Sadusky, DeVore, 2005 Willis Vernon, 2002).

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What (cont.)

• We must understand the impact of abuse upon
  childrens ability to learn, e.g.,
• Impact of CA/N (Wang, C-T., Holton, J. (2007)
• Poor Physical Health...
• e.g., chronic fatigue, altered immune function,
  hypertension, sexually transmitted diseases,
  obesity
• Behavior Problems...
• e.g., aggression, juvenile delinquency, adult
  criminality, abusive or violent behavior
• High-risk Behaviors...
• e.g., a higher number of lifetime sexual
  partners, younger age at first voluntary
  intercourse, teen pregnancy, alcohol and
  substance abuse

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What (cont.)

• Impact (cont.)
• Social Difficulties...
• e.g., insecure attachments with caregivers, which
  may lead to difficulties in developing trusting
  relationships with peers and adults later in life
• Poor emotional and mental health...
• e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders,
  suicidal thoughts and attempts, post-traumatic
  stress disorder
• Cognitive dysfunction...
• e.g., deficits in attention, abstract reasoning,
  language development, and problem-solving skills,
  which ultimately affect academic achievement and
  school performance
• Note Information applies to all children, there
  is insufficient data re. children with
  disabilities.

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What (cont.)

• We must understand and be prepared to deal with
  the common causes of abuse, i.e.,
• Neglect
• Too little income affordable housing
• Need to work two or more jobs
• Mental health problems
• Substance abuse
• (Freundlich (2007)
• History of Maltreatment
• Domestic Violence
• Age When Individual Became a Parent
• Single Parent Household
• Knowledge and attitude re. parent/child
  interactions
• (Goldman, Wolcott, Kennedy, 2003)

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What (cont.)

• We must also understand the additional causes of
  abuse as experienced by children with
  disabilities, i.e.,
• (Hibbard Desch, 2007)
• limited access to info re. personal safety and/or
  sexual abuse prevention
• may be accustomed having their bodies touched by
  adults
• parental perspective that their child does not
  need information re. sex education as the child
  matures
• child with disability may be conditioned to
  comply with the commands of adults
• child with disability may not understand the
  difference between appropriate/needed discomfort
  associated with therapy and the discomfort
  associated with inappropriate actions taken on
  their body

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What (cont.)

• Finally, we must understand the reasons children
  who are d/hh are at particular risk for abuse,
  i.e.,
• May lack the language skills needed to
  effectively understand, or convey to others that
  they have been sexually abused. (Vernon
  Miller, 2002)
• Conditioned to comply with authority figures, are
  naive re. sexual norms, and may misinterpret the
  attention of the abuser in relation to feels of
  being loved. (Sullivan, Vernon, Scanlan, 1987)
• Lack of sufficient school based learning
  opportunities and instructional materials needed
  to recognize, avoid, or report instances of abuse
  and neglect. (Obinna, et al., 2005)
• Perception that children who are d/hh do not need
  information concerning appropriate and
  inappropriate sexual behavior. (Obinna, et al.,
  2005)

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How is this problem now being addressed?

• "I said Somebody should do something about
  that. Then I realized I am somebody." Lily
  Tomlin

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How is this problem now being addressed?

• Learning the basics
• OBSERVING-
• Opening our eyes to the issues
• Learning the basic statistics
• Observing skills in our roles in the EHDI
  system and beyond.
• UNDERSTANDING
• We have an obligation individually and
  collectively to make a difference.
• Ill know what to do the next time
• RESPONDING
• Institutionalizing the message to the EHDI system
• Resources specifically for families/professionals
  in deafness

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• Hands Voices, in collaboration with Michigan
  State University, Child Help, and the National
  Exchange Club Foundation, do not accept the
  status quo.
• We do not accept that while our children are at
  greater risk to experience abuse and neglect, the
  powers-that-be remain focused on other topics
  that are deemed to be more pressing and more
  important.
• We can lead the way by enhancing our ability to
  observe, understand, respond to, and protect our
  children through three simple actions.

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EncourageThe Colorado ExperienceO.U.R.
Childrens Safety
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• Dipping our toes into the water
• First Questions we are Asking
• Hands Voices Guide By Your Side Logs
• You have to ask the questions before you have the
  answers
• Speaking Up CO HV Taking it to the Streets
• With each other HV board and staff, GBYS
  Trainings
• To Groups college classes, Part C meetings,
  Audiology offices, Service Coordinators, parent
  meetings, Exhibit tables at events
• Investigating in our communities
• Permission for Joy

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Three Actions

• Pass-it-on Share this presentation, and it
  related resources, with at least one other
  parent, and then ask them to pass-it-on.
• Share the Story Have a conversation with your
  child about abuse and neglect (see attached
  Helping Parents Talk to Children document),
  then share the story of how it went so that other
  parents can learn from your experience.
• Recognize the best and Challenge the Rest Ask
  the professionals who work with your child what
  they are doing to protect your child from abuse
  and neglect, then share the resulting reactions,
  information, resources, programs, and questions
  so that we recognize the best and challenge the
  rest.

Send the resulting information to Janet
DesGeorges or Harold Johnson.
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If I decide to get involved, what would I be
expected to do?

• Recognize...
• ...that as hard as child abuse and neglect is to
  think about, it is MUCH harder for our children
  to experience
• Accept...
• ...that if we do not act, more children will
  experience more abuse and neglect and for even
  longer periods of time
• Learn....
• ...how to observe, understand, recognize, and
  PROTECT our children

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If I decide...(cont.)

• Share...
• ...information concerning child abuse and neglect
  with key individuals with whom you interact
• Recognize...
• ...those individuals, agencies, school,
  organizations, etc., that are effectively dealing
  with the issue of child abuse and neglect as
  experienced by children who are d/hh via posting
  information on the Deaf Education Community of
  Learners Concerning Child Abuse Neglect wiki
  site

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If I decide...(cont.)

• Join...
• ...your colleagues at the Deaf Education
  Community of Learners Concerning Child Abuse
  Neglect (http//deafed-childabuse-neglect-col.wik
  i.educ.msu.edu/) to...
• ...find resources
• ...share what works
• ...collaborate with you peers as we work to
  Observe, Understand, Respond Protect our
  children.

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Where can I go for more information?
http//deafed-childabuse-neglect-col.wiki.educ.msu
.edu/
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Responses - Questions Concerns Action!

• What do YOU know re. CA/N?
• What do YOU now want to know re. CA/N?
• What concerns do YOU have re. getting involved
  with the O.U.R. Children work?
• Where do YOU go from here?

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Contact Information

• Harold Johnson/Professor - Michigan State
  University
• 343A Erickson Hall, East Lansing MI 48824-1034
• hjohnson_at_msu.edu,
• 517 432-3926 v, 35.8.171.220 video phone,
  Harold A. Johnson Skype
• www.deafed.net
• Janet DesGeorges/Outreach Director Hands
  Voices Executive Director, Colorado Families
  for Hands
• 730 South 44 th Street, Boulder , CO 80305
• janet_at_handsandvoices.org
• [phone] v, Janet DesGeorges Skype
• www.handsandvoices.org/

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References

• Bonner, B.L. Hensley, L.D. (1997). State
  efforts to identify maltreated children with
  disabilities A follow-up study. Child
  Maltreatment, 2(1), 52-60.
• Child Maltreatment Report 2007. Retrieved on
  6/7/09 from http//www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pu
  bs/cm07/index.htm
• Freundlich, M. (2007). Time for reform
  Investing in prevention Keeping children safe at
  home. Retrieved on 6/5/09 from
  http//www.preventchildabuse.org/about_us/media_re
  leases/pew_kaw_prevention_report_final.pdf
• Goldman, J., Wolcott, D., Kennedy, K.Y. (2003).
  A coordinated response to child abuse and
  neglect The foundation for practice. Retrieved
  on February 8, 2008 from http//www.childwelfare.
  gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/index.cfm
• Hibbard, R.,A., Desch, L.D. (2007). Clinical
  report Maltreatment of children with
  disabilities. Pediatrics, 119(5), 1018-1025.
• Johnson, H. (2009). Child abuse and neglect
  Professionals preparation and ability to
  recognize and respond. Unpublished survey.

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• Obinna, Jennifer, Krueger, Sarah, Osterbaan,
  Constance, Sadusky, Jane M, DeVore, Wendy
  (2005). Understanding the Needs of the Victims
  of Sexual Assault in the Deaf Community A Needs
  Assessment and Audit. Retrieved on 6/5/09 from
  http//www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/212867.p
  df
• Shakeshaft, C. (2004). Educator Sexual
  Misconduct A synthesis of existing literature.
  Retrived on 6/5/09 from http//www.ed.gov/rschstat
  /research/pubs/misconductreview/report.pdf
• Sullivan, Patricia M., Brookhouser, Patrick,
  Scanlan, M. (2000). Maltreatment of deaf and
  hard of hearing children, Ch. 7, pp149-184. In
  Hindley, Peteer Kitson, Nick (Ed.) Mental
  Health and Deafness. Whurr Publishers, London
  Philadelphia
• Sullivan, P.M., Knuton, J.F. (2000).
  Maltreatment and disabilities A population-based
  epidemiological study. Child Abuse Neglect,
  24(10), 1257-1273.

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• Sullivan, Patricia M., Vernon, McCay, Scanlan,
  John, M (1987). Sexual abuse of deaf youth.
  American Annals of the Deaf, 32(4), 256-262
• Vernon, McCay Miller, Katrina (2002). Issues
  in the sexual molestation of deaf youth.
  American Annals of the Deaf, 147(5), 28-35
• Wang, C-T., Holton, J. (2007). Total estimated
  cost of child abuse and neglect in the United
  States. Retrieved on 2/3/2008 from
  http//www.preventchildabuse.org/about_us/media_re
  leases/pcaa_pew_economic_impact_study_final.pdf
• Willis, Richard G., Vernon, McCay (2002).
  Residential psychiatric treatment of emotionally
  disturbed deaf youth. American Annals of the
  Deaf, 147(1), pp 31-37