Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in Saudi Arabia: Are We Ready?
Date
2011
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Publisher
Annals of Saudi medicine
Abstract
Although child abuse and neglect (CAN) have been recognized by medical professionals for the last 20 years, child protection services and child maltreatment prevention programs are still emerging in Saudi Arabia. This paper will review the progress made in the country in terms of recognition and implementation of child protection services. Furthermore, it will draw attention to the essential steps required to start child maltreatment prevention programs, as CAN prevention is currently viewed as a global healthcare priority with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions. In addition, this paper will assess Saudi Arabia's readiness to prevent CAN and the challenges that will be faced by the professionals in implementing evidence-based CAN prevention programs. The definitions of child protection and child maltreatment prevention are often misused, confusing or used interchangeably. Child protection as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), are measures taken after child maltreatment has occurred, such as support and care for the traumatized child, while child maltreatment prevention refers to measures taken to prevent child maltreatment before it occurs by addressing the underlying causes, risks and protective factors, such as teaching positive parenting skills to pregnant first-time mothers. During the last decade, child abuse and neglect (CAN) have become more recognized in Saudi Arabia. Now that there is widespread knowledge about the occurrence of CAN, the future stands in not shifting the approach from a reactive one (child maltreatment protection) to a more proactive one (child maltreatment prevention). It is simply not enough to continue to respond to CAN after it occurs, but there is a need to tackle the problem from the root. In justifying this shift, many factors need to be taken into consideration. This paper will briefly discuss the history of child abuse and neglect in Saudi Arabia, followed by the current shift from protection to prevention, use of evidence-based approaches to prevention, lessons learned and future recommendations. (Author Abstract)
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Keywords
child abuse, prevention, history, International Resources, Saudi Arabia
Citation
Almuneef, M., & Al-Eissa, M. (2011). Preventing child abuse and neglect in Saudi Arabia: are we ready?. Annals of Saudi medicine, 31(6), 635-640.