Cases and Resources
Chapter 32: Parents and Children

Responsibilities Between Parents and Children
Child Abuse and Neglect

Responsibilities Between Parents and Children
The National Parenting Center
The National Parenting Center offers many resources and informational articles on what is needed to raise a child. Which parental activities are legal obligations and which are just good parenting?

Paternity FAQs
The law requires parents to support their children, regardless of whether or not the parent has a close relationship with the child. Learn more about paternity and establishing who is the legal parent of a child.

DNA Diagnostics Center
DNA is the preferred method to prove paternity when a court must determine the identity of the father. Read about the process of establishing paternity and how DNA works.

Fathers’ Rights and Duties
Fathers have legal rights and obligations to their children. Read an explanation of these rights and obligations. Scroll to the bottom of the article to find organizations that test fathers in order to establish paternity.

Life in the Fast Lane: Teenage Parents
The responsibilities of parenting can be especially difficult for young parents. Explore this site on the lifestyles and stories of teenage parents. How much does it cost to care for a baby? Are teenage parents responsible for providing for their baby?

Duty to Support Adult Disabled Children
Learn about the legal responsibility of parents to support adult disabled children. Each state has different guidelines on parents’ duties to care for adult children who cannot care for themselves.

Facts About Emancipation
Learn about the basics of emancipation. Why might a child choose to petition a court for emancipation before the child reaches legal adulthood? How do the responsibilities of the parent and child change after emancipation?

Emancipation of Minors: Laws by State and Territory
Compare the laws of emancipation of minors in your state to the laws in other states and territories in the United States. What steps must be taken for emancipation to occur?

Elderly Caregiving
As the population of the United States ages, there is a growing debate about the responsibility of adult children to care for elderly adults. Read this article about the challenges and ethics involved.

Parents and Education
The U.S. Department of Education created a site especially for parents to learn how to help their children prepare for education and attend school. What are some ways parents can fulfill their legal obligation to provide an education for their children and other good parenting techniques to better children’s education?

Debate Over Home Schooling
Some parents believe a better education can be offered at home. Read this article describing an overview of education in the home.

Homeschool.com
Look through the articles and information provided on a site designed for families that educate children at home. What issues does the site help parents solve?

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
Visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site on IDEA. Read how this legislation helps students with disabilities. This site also provides information about the latest updates and amendments made to the law.

Parental Consent for Emergency Care
If a minor child arrives in a hospital unaccompanied by a parent, doctors must decide how much care to give the child without consent of the parent. Read this recommendation by pediatricians and decide if hospitals should be able to do more or less in this situation.

Parental Notification and Children’s Rights
Read this plotline from population television show “ER” and the ethical concerns related to telling a teenager’s parents about her pregnancy. Culture, religion, privacy, and medical safety are all issues related to involving a parent in a child’s medical decisions. What do you think of this story? What should doctors do when facing dilemmas such as this one?

Religious Objections to Medical Care
Sometimes the religion of a family can affect the decision by parents to seek medical care for their children. Some states make these parents exempt from neglect or abuse charges if the children suffer or die as a result of theses religious decisions. Read a policy statement by the American Association of Pediatrics on this policy. With which side do you agree?

The Sex Ed Dilemma
Read this article by MSNBC on the debate over sex education in public schools. Should students receive education regarding safe sexual practices and birth control? Should students learn only about abstinence?

Discipline: A Parent’s Guide
Read a short guide to disciplining a child and the best ways to help children learn appropriate behavior. Why is discipline an important part of parenting? Are parents legally obligated to discipline their children?

Parental Responsibility Laws
Parents may be held responsible for the actions of their children in some situations. Read this article about parental liability for the crimes and actions of their children. Do you believe parental responsibility laws are fair?

Guidance for Grown-Ups
There are many adults in a young person’s life besides parents who take care of children. Take a closer look at these people and suggestions that can help adults be better supervisors and caretakers.

Parental Rights to Minor’s Earnings
Read the first paragraph of this Tennessee law giving parents the rights to control the wages and earnings of a child. Parents can only spend the money on certain items, though. What limits does the law place on how the money is spent?

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Child Abuse and Neglect
Child Abuse and Neglect
The United States Department of Health and Human Services maintains a virtual library of information concerning child abuse and neglect. Browse the site and read articles to learn about different types of child maltreatment, prevention methods, and ways to recognize abuse.

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
Explore this overview concerning the effects of domestic violence on young people.

Child Abuse.org
This site contains perspectives on child abuse, personal stories of parents and children who have dealt with abuse, and ways to protect children.

Children’s Bureau of HHS
The Children’s Bureau of the United States Department of Health and Human Services provides information and statistics on child abuse and neglect. Research the statistics and numbers of this problem. What types of child abuse and neglect exist? How many children are affected every year?

Child Sexual Abuse
Learn about the effects of child sex abuse and the symptoms or signs to watch for. This article also explains who perpetrators of this crime may be and what to do if you know a child who is being abused.

How to Report Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, it is very important to take action. Contact a person or agency that can help the child out of the abusive situation and begin the healing process.

Legal Obligation to Report Child Abuse
In an effort to protect more children, the law requires that some people in specific jobs are legally required to report suspected abuse. For example, if a teacher or doctor fails to report suspected abuse, the teacher or doctor is breaking the law.

Substance Abuse and Child Protection
The use of drugs or the abuse of substances by a parent may result in child abuse charges against the parent. Read this extensive report by the Department of Health and Human Services on the effects of substance abuse by parents on their children.

Pregnancy, Drug Use, and Neglect
Read this report by the Guttmacher Institute about state repsonses to substance abuse during pregnancy. The state of South Carolina charges pregnant drug users with child neglect. What is your opinion of the laws being enforced in South Carolina?

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