Child abuse, neglect in WV: Stats don’t tell whole story

The number of child abuse and neglect cases nationwide has been decreasing and that’s also the case in West Virginia. While victims’ advocates say this provides some hope, the problem is still prolific.
In West Virginia, child abuse cases were increasing until four years ago.

“There is just no way of denying that child abuse is decreasing, which is great and means a lot of things that we have done to try to prevent child abuse and intervene in child abuse has been making a difference and so that is a reason for hope,” said Emily Chittenden, state coordinator for the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network.

Drug court provides hope to parents

For Lena Smith, joblessness and living without basic necessities were not the catalysts for her to stop using methamphetamine. She did not hit rock bottom and realize she needed help until Sept. 17, 2007, when three of her four children were removed from her care by Bartow County Department of Family and Children Services officials.

Adopted children at greater risk for mental health disorders

Melissa Fay Greene woke up at night crying and wondering if she had “ruined our life.”

Long before her decision to adopt a boy from Bulgaria, she learned that raising an adopted child could be challenging. It wasn’t going to be a fairy tale to raise a child who had spent most of his life in an orphanage.

Iowa streamlines abuse-reporting

Changes planned for the Iowa Department of Human Services could make reporting child abuse more efficient and more consistent and put it in line with recommendations made almost 10 years ago after a northwest Iowa girl was beaten to death.

The department this week announced plans to streamline the way it receives reports of suspected abuse of children and dependent adults. Under the planned system, expected to launch in July, all such reports would go through a single office in Des Moines. Currently, eight different groups handle those reports statewide.

Report: Foster Kids Face Tough Times After Age 18

It’s hard turning 18 — moving out, finding a job, going to college. But many foster children have to do it by themselves, without the lifeline to parents and home that helps many teens ease into independence.

A major report out Wednesday says that many former foster kids have a tough time out on their own. When they age out of the system, they’re more likely than their peers to end up in jail, homeless or pregnant. They’re also less likely to have a job or go to college.