CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT – USER MANUAL SERIES
This manual provides the keystone for the series. It addresses the definition, scope, causes, and consequences of child abuse and neglect. The manual also presents an overview of prevention efforts and the child protection process from identification and reporting through investigation and assessment to service provision and case closure. Because child protection is a multidisciplinary effort, the manual describes the roles and responsibilities of different professional groups and offers guidance on how the groups can work together effectively to protect the safety, permanency, and well-being of children.