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Policy, Advocacy, and
Priorities
In 2014, more than 65,000 children in New York State were abused or neglected. That number would fill Madison Square Garden more than three times.
[1]
​What causes abuse and neglect?
Poverty is the most frequently noted risk factor for abuse.[2] The reason for this is the stress that comes along with trying to make ends meet. Abuse is also 15 times more likely to occur in families where there is spousal abuse.[3] Other factors include emotional immaturity of the parents, poor coping skills, stress, single parenthood, and unwanted pregnancy.
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Clearly something must be done to prevent maltreatment. But what?
PCA-NY believes that we must address the root causes of abuse—the factors that contribute to stress and unhealthy manifestations of pressure and tension. It is not the responsibility of government to raise children, but it is in the State’s best interest to help strengthen families by helping them create more stable environments in which to raise those children. In doing so, the State will reap the benefits of less poverty, greater economic development, a stronger workforce, positive health and educational outcomes, and more successful community members.
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[1] “Home Visiting in New York: A Critical Crime Prevention Strategy”, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2016.
[2] “Primary Prevention of Child Abuse”, Lesa Bethea, M.D., American Family Physician, March 1999, 1577-1585.
[3] Ibid.
Together, we can turn the root causes of abuse into the strong roots a family needs to succeed.
PCA-NY recommends concentrating efforts in the following areas:
Primary Prevention
Infuse prevention throughout the continuum of care and education, and strengthen existing primary prevention initiatives.
Economic Stability
Increase investments in anti-poverty and work support initiatives.
Housing
Create more stable housing options for families experiencing hardship, runaway and homeless youth, and women and children in crisis.
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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
Collect and disseminate data on ACES and use it to influence future policy and funding decisions.
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Child Care
Strengthen the child care infrastructure and connect it to other programs that serve children aged 0-5.
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Reproductive Health
Increase investments in preparation—including access to reproductive health care and family planning.
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Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting
Invest in home visiting at both the state and federal level, while creating better connections within the early childhood (0-5) system.
Nurturing resilience and bolstering protective factors in a child’s life leads to better outcomes.
Current Policy Positions
Every child is filled with tremendous promise – and we have a shared obligation to foster their potential. That means shoring up the ways we support families. Every policy we set should reduce financial pressures on families and increase the time and capacity for supportive family relationships.
