Protective Service for Children history

[Frank Joseph <frjoseph@xxxxxxxxxxxx> (by way of Tom Hanna)]

Dear Colleague:

The following inquiry about the historical basis for why reporting goes
through social services rather than the police department made me stop --
what a good question for the era we are in!  So I call upon those who have
special knowledge of

(1) the public policy history of our field, and/or
(2) the literature that deals with the underlying assumptions behind the
prevention of child abuse and neglect.

You can reply directly (forgive duplicate mailings!) or, if you prefer,
specifically to Frank Joseph ( mailto:frjoseph@gamewood.net )

I'll compile answers that come to me & forward them to the list.

Thank you!

Tom

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Dear Mr.Hanna:

I am a member of the Virginia State Board of Social Service and am
writing you in your capacity as program leader for the Child Abuse
Prevention Network.

I am making a presentation to the Board on June 18th on the historical
background of protective services to children and the interworkings of
how these services are delivered at the local level. I am the only Board
member who has been a protective service worker(Delaware 1958-63) and a
supervisor of protective service workers for twenty years as well as a
local welfare agency director (retired) here in Virginia and therefore
have this responsibility.

I am in need of information as to how the decision that protective service
investigations would be made by social workers rather than by policeman
was arrived at.  I know the general theory behind this but would like to
find an article or paper on this perhaps from a journal so I could be
more definitive. This should go back to at least the early fifties
although the first law here in Virginia was not enacted until 1975.  I
need this information because the Board will be voting on proposed
changes in the Protective Service regulation within the next few months.

I would greatly appreceate any information you could provide which would
direct me to a resource that could provide me with this information.


                               Franklin R. Joseph
                               121 Elon Place
                               Danville, Virginia 24540
                               804 797 9966

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- Tom Hanna, Program Director      Child Abuse Prevention Network    -
- 1-607-275-9360                   Family Life Development Center    -
- FAX 607-255-8562, 275-9360       Cornell University                -
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