Newspapers / The Yancey Journal (Burnsville, … / Sept. 17, 1970, edition 1 / Page 15
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Abused Child Needs Concerned Citizens Help By Gerald Mann Social Service Department "Where do you live?" This question is frequently directed to all citizens of Yancey Cou nty when we visit in older areas of the state or nation. As a whole, we are very proud and quick to expound upon the as sets which our county has to offer, because there are many. We are indeed fortunate to live in an area of fertile soil, beau tiful mountains and streams.. Not only are the people hard working, courteous and friend ly, most of them are concerned about their neighbor and com - unity. We can boast of many fine churches and schools,with excellent facilities forshoppiig and the receiving of medical care. Yet, from all of this, I am quite sure that all of us would agree that our great est asset is our children. Parents are relieved that we are away from those areas which con - stantly witness demonstrations, rioting, and burnings. We do live in a garden of Eden loca - tion when compared to many of the social ills which con - front cur nation, bit we do have problems. Child abuse and neglect does exist in our county, with the latter appearing in large proportions. Last year over 2,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported to coun ty departments of social ser - vices throughout the state. It has been estimated that this many more cases go unrepor - ted and these children receive no protection because they are too young to do anything about the situation. It is im portant that we recognize what constitutes, or causes these abuse-neglect situations to o ccur, and then take remedi al action to correct thepi. Let us observe a theoretical en vironment. Mom and Dad have been married for 12years. They have none children, with an other one expected soon. Both parents were unable to com plete more than the fiffa grade in formal education, and the income earned by the father from non-skiiied, pari -time labor is far from being suffi cient to meet the needs of his family. His wife must stay at home because three of the children are of pre school age and need her at tention, as well as the dutie in the home. Mom and Dad have never been recipients of family planning counselingor of counseling otherwise as to the time and expense incurred when another child is brought irto the world. So the patterr continues. The father tries hard to provide, but he keeps getting farther behind. H e can't buy dbthes for his child ren so they become neglected in this aspect, usually appear ing ill-clad, and dirty. They do not receive enough to eat, and will grow up in a state of malnutrition. The home is crowded, and children of op posite sex must sleep together or there is three or four in a bed. Debts are piling up, and when a child becomes sickthe parents try "home remedies" instead of taking their child to a doctor. Children are al lowed to roam as they please out of doors in extremely cold weather, or to stay out late with any kind of companythus increasing their chances great ly of becoming delinquent or pregnant. Under increasing pressure the father begins to drink, and to seek other areas of pleasure. The children be came witnesses to these un wholesome circumstances and form patterns fbf their future life. In a fit of anger the fa ther severely beats and bruises a child. This goes unreported, but the child suffers. The children in school are allowed to become truant. The par ents state, "I do nothavemch of an education, so why en ! i iiTlil lTbeVty | CASH AND CARRY: : mom w-aow ! I 2 * 9 .1 Monvillei | sheet N^^^3sP°und q ß°o f inii ff 5 Set 14 InchNlf Patio Door | l ron Tub\ 5/8 Inch I MSliiKi *98 67 Insulated Glass! | Id Piece Belli Set. 14 lech I i & 36” Fire A • fell * HH !: J courage and support my child ren in this. " "I get by, so will they." What usually occurs in sit uations such as these is deser tion. Then the children are further neglected, feeling un kved, and unwanted when a parent leaves. It is at this point that social agencies are sought to begin trying to assist in remedying the situation. In most cases requiring protective service the typical client is the abused-neglected child. It is obviously not possible for him to ask for help, and there fore the community must?breach out" to find him. It is signi - ficant also ? that although the child is the client, it is not possible to help him without establishing a casework rela - tionship with the parents. K.rth Carolina haw protects persons who report suspected child abise or neglect. These referrals are also handled in THE YANCEY RECORD strict confidence. The law re quires the county director of social services to invest i g ate and take whatever action ne cessary to correct the situation. Let us accept the fact that child-abuse and neglect does occur in our beautiful county, but more than this, let us be come concerned enough to do something about it. Let us re member that "help" not pun ishment is the key-word. The abused-neglected children can best be helped by helping their parents. Suppose we look at this sit uation from an economic view point, one in which all tax payers will be interested. The ten children in this home will in all likelihood marry ten spouses. On an average, each couple will hove five children, or a total of fifty. These child ren will marry and have numer ous families of their own, and the cycle magnifies greatly. SEPTEMBER 17, 1970 If these children and parents grow up in a neglect-depend - ent environment, the chances are more than equal that they will also become parents who neglect, and require public assistance. If the problem could have been reached mich earlier, imagine the heart break and expense which could have been avoided. Scholarship ,’’ j'" -r • « James B. Geouge, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben F. Geouge of Burnsville, Route 5, has been awarded the $250 Cor poration scholarship at Warren Wilson College for the 1970-71 academic year. Geouge is a member of the sophomore class at Warren Wil son. He was graduated from East Yancey High School in 1969. Geouge is majoring in Biology at college. PAGE 15
The Yancey Journal (Burnsville, N.C.)
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Sept. 17, 1970, edition 1
15
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