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Unit 5: Family Law
Protecting the Children
Introduction
One of the purposes of government is to protect the people
who cannot protect themselves. The federal government and
state governments design programs to protect the elderly,
the poor, the sick, and children. How does your state
government protect children?
This lesson will help you research government
resources that are dedicated to children. You will also learn
about the department of children's services in your state
and compare its resources to others. To complete this lesson,
work through the steps listed below.
Step 1:
Federal Resources
Step 2: State Resources
Step 3: Private Resources
Step 4: Reflection
STEP 1: Federal
Resources
Visit the Web sites for the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) and its Children's Bureau. What services
for and information about children does this federal agency
provide?
U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau
Child Welfare Information Gateway (also part of HHS)
These HHS Web sites provide information
about a variety of topics. After visiting all of the HHS Web
sites above, determine which one(s) you would go to if you
were looking for information about each of the following topics:
-
Adoption
-
Child abuse
-
Foster care
-
Recent federal laws about children
-
Recent state laws about children
-
Health information (immunizations,
vaccinations, pregnancy, etc.)
-
Safety information
STEP 2: State
Resources
In general, states provide many more services for children
than the federal government. Click on the link to your state
below to visit your state's department of children's services.
(Note: The name of the department varies from state to state,
but all have services for children.) Browse your state's site
and find the answers to as many of the questions below as
possible. You may need to look for a "Frequently Asked Questions,"
"About Us," or other link that provides general information.
Before you begin, find out from your teacher if you should
look for answers to specific questions. You may not find answers
to every question below.
1. |
What is the phone number to call to
report child abuse? If there is more than one phone number
listed, which phone number is for your area? If there is
no phone number listed, how can you report abuse of a child? |
2. |
What other information is available about the process
for reporting child abuse? For example, can an abuse report
be appealed? Who is required by law to report suspected
abuse? Take notes on the process in your state. |
3. |
What resources are available to a parent or family whose
children have been removed due to allegations of child abuse? |
4. |
What information is available about foster care in your
state? |
5. |
How can you collect if someone owes you child support? |
6. |
How does a person become certified to provide childcare? |
STEP 3: Private
Resources
In addition to the many federal and state agencies that provide
protection to children, there are also many private agencies
that work to promote the rights and safety of children. Visit
the sites of three of the organizations listed below and identify
how they interact with children, families, and state and local
governments. In other words, why do they believe that government
agencies are not enough to fully protect and provide for the
rights of children, and what do they feel that their organizations
can do to bridge this gap? (Note: The organizations are listed
in alphabetical order, showing no preference for any particular
group.) This list is also not intended to represent an exhaustive
list of children's advocacy groups, but is simply a sample
of different organizations that promote children's rights.
You can also choose to research an advocacy group for an issue
that interests you, using your favorite search engine.
STEP 4: Reflection
Based on what you have learned by visiting federal, state,
and private Web sites, what do you think is the most important
issue that needs to be addressed regarding children? Write
an essay for your teacher answering this three-part question:
-
What resources are available to children
and families through federal and state governments?
-
How do private organizations add to
those resources?
-
On what children's issue should the
American public's attention be focused most intensively?
Why do you believe that this issue is the most critical?
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