One in Ten

Research shows that about 75% of physical abuse starts as physical discipline gone terribly awry. We have years of data showing spanking is ineffective—and, in fact, harmful to kids. But often the topic is treated as a third rail by many child abuse professionals: avoided and ignored.We spoke to Stacie LeBlanc, CEO of The UP Institute and a champion of No Hit Zones. Why is it so difficult for child abuse professionals to discuss spanking with parents? How do we get past the culture wars on this topic? And how can we open a respectful conversation that moves beyond “Well, I turned out fine”? How can No Hit Zones help?This episode was originally published on May 7, 2020.Topics in this episode:Concerns for kids during the pandemic (1:17)Connection between spanking and physical abuse (2:53)The research (4:15)Poly-victimization and adverse childhood experiences (6:03)A common problem that’s hard to talk about (8:05)Handling parents’ objections (13:17)A respectful approach (21:00)Banning spanking, changing social norms (23:48)How to start a no-hit zone (26:23)For more information (34:06)Links:Stacie Schrieffer LeBlanc, MEd, JD, CEO of The UP InstituteNo Hit Zone ToolkitThe No Hit Zone concept was created in 2005 by Dr. Lolita McDavid at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OhioElizabeth Gershoff, Ph.D.Painless ParentingNational No Hit Zone CommitteeStop SpankingU.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children has a list of organizations with policy statements on this topicAmerican Academy of Pediatrics put out a policy statement in November 2018Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children has a map of global progress on the issueJHACO (“Jayco”) refers to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at nationalchildrensalliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

We struggle to understand and talk about the link between poverty and child abuse. On the one hand, we know that not every poor family abuses and neglects their children, and we don’t want to stigmatize families for their poverty. On the other hand, there is a growing body of literature on the cascading effects of poverty in the lives of families. Paul Bywaters, professor of social work at the University of Huddersfield, joins us today to discuss the relationship between poverty, inequality, and child abuse. How do we come alongside and stand with families in poverty who are struggling with child abuse and neglect? How do we examine our own policies and procedures to ensure that we’re being genuinely helpful and not just adding to families’ burdens? And how do we move beyond just talking about individual poverty to the growing disparity in means that is reinforcing structural inequality with implications for generations to come? Please take a listen. Topics in this episode:Origin story (00:09)The relationship between poverty and abuse and neglect (4:08)Poverty affects every aspect of your life (8:34)Impact on adult poverty (11:48)The effect of disparity (14:19)Standing alongside families (19:16)Policy solutions (25:08)What’s next in research (36:55)For more information (40:20)Links:Paul Bywaters, Ph.D., professor of social work, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield The Relationship Between Poverty and Child Abuse and Neglect: New Evidence, by Paul Bywaters and Guy Skinner with Aimee Cooper, Eilis Kennedy, and Afra Malik, University of Huddersfield, March 2022 Michal Krumer-Nevo, Ph.D., YouTube video: FAQ on Poverty and Poverty Aware Practice Maslow’s hierarchy of needs L. Anthony Loman, Ph.D. Gary Siegel, Ph.D. For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

In most countries around the world, girls are disproportionately at risk of, and harmed by, both sexual abuse and exploitation. But we also know that all genders experience sexual violence. And every trauma victim and survivor deserves tailored treatment and care. So what do we know about how boys experience sexual exploitation? What are the unique stigmas and burdens that they bear? How do we tailor interventions to address their specific needs? And how do we ensure that every victim of every gender gets the help that they need to heal? Topics in this episode: Origin story (1:25) Not much research about boys (3:10) The survey (8:55) Positive examples (16:18) Three specific findings (23:58) Policy implications (31:15) What’s next in research (36:04) For more information (38:51) Links: Mark Kavenagh, Ph.D., founder and director of Evident Consulting (LinkedIn) “Sexual exploitation of children: Barriers for boys in accessing social supports for victimization,” Mark Kavenagh, Nicholas Hua, Christine Wekerle, part of a special issue of Child Abuse & Neglect: Global Insights on the Sexual Exploitation of Boys, Vol. 142, Part 2, August 2023 ECPAT International Global Boys Initiative  “A global systematic scoping review of literature on the sexual exploitation of boys,” Corrine Moss, Savanah Jordan Smith, Katherine Kim, Nicholas Hua, Noella Noronha, Mark Kavenagh, Christine Wekerle “Frontline support services for boys who have experienced child sexual exploitation: A thematic review of survey data from seven countries,” Marie Nodzenski, Jarrett Davis Sunflower Centers in South KoreaJordan Greenbaum, MD, previously appeared on One in Ten: “The Trauma They Carried,” Season 3, Episode 10 (July 15, 2021) Thorn study, Self-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material: Youth Attitudes and Experiences in 2021 “Growing Up Online: Addressing Child Sextortion,” with Katie Connell, MSW, (FBI); Season 5, Episode 5, of One in Ten (April 7, 2023) Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Child sexual abuse is never a child’s fault. Absolutely never. And it’s unrealistic to expect children to somehow fend off the predations of adult offenders. But do jurors believe that? Dr. Jonathan Golding, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky, asked: What do potential jurors believe about children and resisting abuse? How do these beliefs shape their understanding of who is responsible for that abuse? And how does this influence the outcome at trial? The results of his study are concerning and have implications not only for juror education but also education of the general public at large.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:31)CSI effect and other extralegal factors (3:18)Hypotheses (9:44)Research results (12:02)Not their fault (15:48)College students and community members (18:09)A lack of progress on this issue (21:41)Implications for juror education (32:36)What’s next in research (42:53)For more information (46:54)Links:Jonathan Golding, Ph.D., is a professor of developmental, social, and health psychology at the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences“Impacts of Victim Resistance and Type of Assault on Legal Decision-Making in Child Sexual Assault,” Kyle P. Rawn, Mary M. Levi, Andrea M. Pals, Holly Huber, Jonathan M. Golding, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2023.2180468Gail S. Goodman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Public Policy Research at the University of California, Davis, previously appeared on One in Ten to discuss “How Accurate Is Memory After 20 Years?”Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D.Kyle P. RawnSteven Ceci, Ph.D.For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

For professionals, one of the saddest aspects of child sexual abuse is the way in which many victims struggle with blaming themselves for the terrible actions of others. This self-blame and feelings of guilt can cause suffering throughout a lifespan if it’s left untreated. Many evidence-based interventions specifically target these negative feelings and erroneous thoughts. But how do children come to believe this in the first place? What makes children mistakenly believe that they’re somehow responsible for the actions of adults? Dr. Jouriles’ research set out to examine the relationship between whether and in what way caregivers’ and peers’ blame of victims influenced victims’ self-blame. And, while the results may not be surprising, the implications certainly are for child abuse professionals. How do we talk to parents and caregivers at the very earliest points of disclosure about the importance of supporting their child? How do we provide caregivers support in a way that ensures that they themselves have the emotional resources and resiliency needed to provide support to their children? And most importantly, how do we ensure that children know and believe that abuse is never, ever their fault?Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:58)What are non-supportive responses? (3:42)Findings: the effect of non-supportive responses (10:46)Do the poor responses outweigh the good? (16:47)Advice for child abuse professionals (20:08)Future research needed (27:50)Engaging families in treatment (31:17)Rewarding work (38:46)For more information (40:47)Links:Ernest Jouriles, Ph.D., professor and co-director of the Family Research Center at SMU“Non-supportive responses to adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse: Relations with self-blame and trauma symptoms,” Ernest N. Jouriles, Melissa J. Sitton, Adrianna Adams, Mindy Jackson, Renee McDonald. Child Abuse & Neglect, 2022, Vol. 134. doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105885Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, Dallas, TexasWe discussed the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI) with Dr. Carrie Epstein in “PTSD Interrupted?” (Season 5, Episode 2; February 17, 2023) For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

In this panel discussion recorded at the 2023 NCA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 6, 2023, Dr. Melissa Brymer, Dr. Angela Moreland, and licensed mental health counselor Melissa Sommerville who speak from their personal experience in responding to incidents of mass violence in Sandy Hook; Charleston, South Carolina; Buffalo, New York; and more. How can organizations that support children and families support healthy coping and identify evidence-based trauma and grief treatments when additional assistance is needed? How can we address the additional pain when these incidents target one’s identity—race, ethnicity, gender identity, or religion? And how can we care for our own well-being and that of our staff, and create our own coping plan to help us get through these challenging times?Topics in this episode:Our objectives (0:10)Personal experiences (15:00)First steps  (19:54)Basic needs (35:11)Social media (41:34)Resources (44:42)Pause, Reset, and Nourish (48:19)Q&A (51:56)Links:Melissa Brymer, Ph.D., Psy.D., director of the Terrorism and Disaster Program at UCLA/Duke University’s National Center for Child Traumatic StressAngela Moreland, Ph.D., associate professor of the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at MUSC and associate director of the National Mass Violence and Victimization Resource CenterVision 21Melissa Sommerville, LMHC, project director of the Mobile Child and Family Trauma Treatment Team at Best Self Behavioral HealthNational Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD)Psychological First AidSkills for Psychological RecoveryChild Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI)Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)Trauma and Grief Component TherapyAntiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) grantTranscend NMVC appFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

In our culture, when we think of examples of leadership bravery, we often think of huge risk and very heroic images. Hollywood reinforces this with movies like Sully, about a pilot that landed his plane on the Hudson River, or war movies—really, too many to even name. And business TED Talks and articles likewise focus on turnaround artists or grandiose start-ups.Once we set aside the fictionalized accounts of gutsy leadership, how do we know what bravery in leadership really looks like? Our guest today, leadership coach and author Nicole Bianchi, argues for something more real and within the reach of every single leader: the next small brave move.What could that look like for us as child abuse professionals? For our organizations? And for our multidisciplinary teams? And how might we change ourselves and our agencies and the system for kids by making successive small brave moves?Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:34)Bravery is an acquired behavior (3:19)The top three fears (5:22)Examples of small brave moves (9:15)The process (15:16)When a small brave move doesn't go well (25:30)The table read (prepare!) (27:16)Working with teams (37:13)What's next for Nicole (40:28)Nicole at NCA's Leadership Conference (43:32)Links:Nicole Bianchi is a founding partner at Bravium HD, where she is a professional speaker, facilitator, and master coach designing and facilitating transformational workshops in leadership, team alignment, and culture-building Nicole’s book is Small Brave Moves: Learn Why Little Acts of Bravery Are the Key to Life-Changing Leadership; her second book, about leaders learning to have tough conversations, will be released in August 2023She will give the closing keynote speech at the 2023 NCA Leadership Conference, June 5-7, 2023, in Washington, D.C.For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Everyone’s heard of the vengeful ex-wife who accuses her ex-husband of child abuse just to get back at him during a divorce. There’s even a scientific-sounding term for it: parental alienation. But is parental alienation real? And are judges taking allegations of abuse seriously enough? In this rebroadcast of one of our earliest shows, we speak to Prof. Joan Meier from George Washington University Law School who has some frankly startling data on the subject. How does alleging abuse affect custody decisions? Is there scientific proof that alienation exists? And what can we do to persuade the courts to do a better job of investigating abuse?Topics in this episode:Realizing children aren’t being protected (1:30)Junk science: parental alienation syndrome (2:47)The myth of the vengeful ex-wife (7:57)Women are not considered as credible as men (13:15)Effects on custody decisions (20:54)What should the courts be doing? (23:54)Reaction by judges (29:52)Advice for child abuse professionals (32:54)For more information (36:20)Links:This episode originally aired on January 5, 2020 Joan S. Meier, professor of clinical law and director of the National Family Violence Law Center at the  George Washington University Law SchoolThe study referred to in this episode, “Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations,” and other research by Professor Meier are available on the law school’s website“‘A gendered trap’: When mothers allege child abuse by fathers, the others often lose custody, study shows,” is a Washington Post article about the study.Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP) provides pro bono appellate representation in compelling domestic violence cases and trains attorneys and courts around the countryDV LEAP’s Legal Resource Library include briefs and court opinions, training materials, publications, links to domestic violence organizations, case digests, and custody resourcesFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at One in Ten podcast. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

In 1998, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study showed that traumatic events in childhood were common and could have lasting effects—on everything from SAT scores while we’re in school to long-term physical health issues as adults. But are all ACEs created equal? In this rebroadcast of an intriguing interview from our first season, we invite Dr. Lisa Amaya-Jackson from the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress to discuss the benefits—and the limitations—of keeping score. Have we oversimplified the way in which we talk about ACEs? What’s the role of the community in developing resilience? (And why does she think “resilience” is both a beautiful word and a burden?) What do we need to know to help survivors heal?Topics in this episode:Defining trauma (1:34)All ACEs were not created equal (5:29)The problem with oversimplification (8:58)How an ACEs assessment fits into the CAC rubric (20:23)Advice for child abuse professionals (26:20)Resilience and helping kids recover (29:43)What’s coming up at NCTSN (40:53)Links:The original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) studyNational Child Traumatic Stress NetworkNational Center for Child Traumatic StressResilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope (2016 documentary)Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, at TEDMED 2014, “How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime”Prevent Child Abuse AmericaCore Curriculum on Childhood Trauma, including The 12 Core Concepts: Concepts for Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and FamiliesFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at One in Ten podcast. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Online exploitation of children is sadly not a new phenomenon or topic. But what is new is the dramatic growth of sextortion cases. In “Growing Up Online: Addressing Child Sextortion,” we speak with Katie Connell. Katie is unit chief of the Child Victim Services Unit at the FBI. These cases—whether fueled by financial, sexual, or revenge motives—trade on children and youth’s fear that nude or sexual images of them will be shared if they don’t meet offenders’ demands for money or more images. Tragically, the fear, shame, and stigma that victims feel has resulted in isolation, further exploitation, and even suicide. How do we prevent sextortion from happening in the first place? And if it does happen, what can we do to respond effectively and with compassion?Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:21)Types of cases FBI sees (3:40)What is sextortion? (5:15)What is fueling the growth in cases? (9:43)Who are the offenders? (13:00)How are children targeted? (15:54)Preventing and responding to cases (19:19)Public policy implications (30:47)Advice for child abuse professionals (34:58)For more information (38:53)Links and mentions:Katie Connell, MSW (Catherine S. Connell), unit chief, Child Victim Services Unit, FBI; child/adolescent forensic interview specialist in the FBI’s Macomb County, Michigan Resident AgencyDebra Poole, Ph.D., experimental faculty, Department of Psychology, Central Michigan UniversityAPSAC, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of ChildrenKimberly Poyer, section chief, FBIMartha J. Finnegan, MSW, child/adolescent forensic interview specialist, FBITFO, task force officerInnocent Images CAFI, child and adolescent forensic interviewerFBI-NCA MOU (memorandum of understanding) began in 2015 and was updated in 2022; it ensures our law enforcement partners have access to CAC services needed to investigate and prosecute federal child abuse casesNCMEC, the National Center for Missing and Exploited ChildrenThornFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

One of the most compelling problems in child sexual abuse prevention has been how to describe to parents, caregivers, and the general public exactly what signs to look for to identify concerns. Frankly, much of the discussion has been so general because, what might, with hindsight, have been a sign of abuse, might well in another setting be of no concern at all. Describing what grooming behaviors are has up until now been fraught and difficult.Now enter researcher Elizabeth Jeglic from John Jay College, whose research looks at which behaviors are most clearly linked to child sexual abuse. And even more importantly, it identifies red flag behaviors that any mandatory reporter, parent, or professional can recognize to sound the alarm. This research has the potential to revolutionize both mandatory reporter training and the prevention education we conduct with kids in schools. And wait until you hear the implications for investigators and prosecutors as well. This is a seminal piece of research, and one we are all going to be citing and referring back to for years to come. Please take a listen.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:48)What is grooming? (4:12)The hindsight bias (7:20)High-risk grooming behaviors (8:56)The kids abusers target (12:05)Favoritism and trust development (17:34)Post-abuse maintenance (24:33)Implications for prevention (27:35)Implications for investigation (32:24)For more information (38:21)Links:Elizabeth Jeglic, Ph.D., is a researcher and professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is the co-director of the Sex Offender Research Lab at college. The co-author of two books, Sexual Violence: Evidence Based Policy and Prevention and Protecting Your Child from Sexual Abuse, she also blogs for Psychology Today  Georgia Winters, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the School of Psychology and Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityThe research paper we’re discussing today is “Identification of red flag child sexual grooming behaviors,” by Elizabeth L. Jeglic, Georgia M. Winters, and  Benjamin N. Johnson. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105998 This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC_ND license.Sexual Grooming ModelLevel of Concern GuidePost-abuse maintenance chartMegan’s LawJenna’s LawFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

One of the most vexing questions in child abuse intervention is: How do we know that the work we do makes a difference? We can count the number of kids we serve and the services we provide, but how do we know this actually makes a meaningful difference in the quality of the multidisciplinary team response and to the children and families we serve every single day?We speak with Seth Boughton, director of data and innovative techniques at the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, about how we measure the impact of our work. Our Outcome Measurement System, started a decade ago by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas includes caregiver feedback surveys, multidisciplinary team surveys, and youth feedback surveys. In the wake of our recent report, Healing, Justice, and Trust, we take stock of what we know about children’s and families’ outcomes, and further areas to explore.Topics in this episode:Origin story (2:02)Practical uses for data (3:45)Outcome Measurement System (6:39)Turning our assumptions on their heads (10:54)Benchmarks and their uses (15:29)ChildSafe (18:05)Using data with partner agencies (25:38)Future research needed (30:02)For more information (45:31)Links:Seth Boughton, MSW, is director of data and innovative techniques at the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers. He previously served as a research intern at National Children’s Alliance and still consults with NCA from time to time, including on the 2022 edition of our Healing, Justice, and Trust report.Healing, Justice, and Trust 2022, a public version of the 2022 report. is available on our website; NCA members can access the member version with detailed data on NCA Engage; an Engage account is required.Outcome Measurement SystemChildren’s Advocacy Centers of TexasCAC Census; some materials are for members and partners only E3 program, Enhance Early EngagementTF-CBT, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral TherapyEMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessingCACs and MDTs, Children’s Advocacy Centers and multidisciplinary teamsChildSafe San Antonio story from NCA’s 2021 Annual ReportMSW programs, master of social workNIJ, National Institute of JusticeNCMEC, National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenEyes Up AppalachiaSACWIS, Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information SystemSupport the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

We’ve learned so much about the trauma experienced by children who’ve been abused. We know about their clinical symptoms. We know how these affect their functioning at home and at school. And we know about the lifelong impacts of leaving these trauma symptoms untreated. We’re grateful that not only child abuse professionals but your average citizen is now aware that victims of child abuse can develop PTSD at rates and severity to those of soldiers who’ve been to war.But is that cycle of abuse, trauma symptoms, and PTSD development inevitable? Is it possible to interrupt that cycle in such a way that symptoms reduce and PTSD never develops in the first place? CFTSI—the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention—is an evidence-based intervention that can do just that for some kids. We speak with Carrie Epstein, co-director of the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery and co-developer of CFTSI about how this brief, early intervention can help reduce symptoms in children and caregivers.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:30)The development of CFTSI (5:42)What is CFTSI? (12:25)Different perceptions of symptoms: child and caregiver (19:18)The benefit to caregivers (21:40)Really? A short-term treatment? (29:15)Recent study of how CFTSI helps different groups (40:31)What’s up next in research (47:30)For more information (53:33)Links:Carrie Epstein, LCSW-R, is the co-director of the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery, an assistant professor at the Yale Child Study Center, and co-developer of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI)Safe Horizon (NY)Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)Steven Marans, MSW, Ph.D., is the co-developer of CFTSI with Epstein“Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI) reduces parental posttraumatic stress symptoms: A multi-site meta-analysis; Hilary Hahn, Karen Putnam, Carrie Epstein, Steven Marans, and Frank Putnam; Child Abuse & Neglect, June 2019; doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.03.010“The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention: Factors associated with symptom reduction for children receiving treatment”; Carla Smith Stover, Hilary Hahn, Kaitlin R. Maciejewski, Carrie Epstein, Steven Marans; Child Abuse & Neglect, December 2022; doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105886Youth mental health: Current priorities of the U.S. Surgeon GeneralFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

What causes revictimization? How can we prevent it? There are common factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect that may affect any family: job stress, food insecurity, and intimate partner violence, to name just a few. But military families face additional stressors. Miranda Kaye, Ph.D., associate research professor at Penn State’s Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, and her colleagues set out to examine what, at the individual, family, and community levels, contributed to revictimization. And the findings about community were perhaps some of the most surprising. Topics in this episode:Stressors on military families (2:13)Individual risk factors (7:13)Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment (11:28)Community risk factors (12:33)Families with high levels of support (19:56)Advice for child abuse professionals (24:04)Public policy (26:37)More research needed (28:04)Social isolation; making friends (31:11)More resources (35:11)Links:Miranda P. Kaye, Ph.D., is the director of the Survey Research Center and an associate research professor at the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at The Pennsylvania State University“Factors Predicting Family Violence Revictimization Among Army Families With Child Maltreatment,” Miranda P. Kaye, Keith R. Aronson, and Daniel F. Perkins, Child Maltreatment, 2022, Vol. 27(3) 423-433. DOI: 10.1177/10775595211008997Family Advocacy ProgramU.S. Army Family Advocacy ProgramThe Thrive Initiative at Penn State, and Take Root Home VisitationParents as Teachers program Heroes at Home programA previous One in Ten episode about community risk factors: “Is Abuse  Contagious?” with Dr. Dyann Daley (October 8, 2020)For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.   Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

When we think of the holidays, we often think of the sheer joy of it: Spending time with loved ones, eating favorite treats, and reflecting on bygone holidays full of those we love and traditions we love. But for many children and youth, the holidays are fraught, painful reminders of those missing from the holiday table, unexpected trauma triggers, and memories—not of sugarplums and nutcrackers, but of betrayal of trust and sexual violence.As child abuse professionals, how do we help survivors cope with both the highs and lows that the season can bring? How do we help kids heal from trauma and find renewal and peace not only in the holiday season, but all the rest of the year, too? And most of all, how do we help kids get back to being kids? We spoke with Michelle Miller, director of mental health programs here at National Children’s Alliance, to learn how we can give kids their futures back during the holidays—and all the rest of the year. This is our last episode this year. Join us again in January for season 5 of One in Ten. Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:21)Why the holidays can be difficult for kids (2:40)Watch for these red flag behaviors (5:13)Be proactive to help caregivers and kids (8:45)How to handle your own concerns 13:38)Mental health crisis and a clinician shortage (17:04)Evidence-based treatments (25:06)Graduating from treatment (30:56)See you again in January! (35:36)Links:Michelle Miller, Ph.D., LCSW, is director of mental health programs at National Children’s AllianceLearn more about evidence-based treatments and trauma-informed care at Children’s Advocacy CentersU.S. Surgeon General information and resources on youth mental healthTrauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CTFSI)Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), have been growing in the U.S. and around the world as the gold standard response in child abuse intervention for the last 40 years. Central to a CAC is its multidisciplinary team, made up of different professional disciplines, work for different partner agencies, have differing laws that regulate their work, different mandates, and different professional cultures. Those differences can be a source of strength in applying the professional expertise of the group in a holistic way to kids and to the cases that come in. But they can also be a source of tension and conflict. So the key question becomes: What really contributes to team effectiveness? Is it getting along with one’s peers, hanging out and having happy hours? Is it having trust and mutual respect? Is it one’s own perception of team performance? While all those things help, it may surprise you to find that it’s something else entirely. Join us in our conversation with Elizabeth McGuier, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:50)Team functioning (5:43)Perceptions of caregivers vs. team performance (10:03)The key to team effectiveness (12:33)What are appropriate outcomes to assess? (21:01)Implications of the study (23:02)Youth Feedback Survey (28:40)A team-focused approach (31:03)Burnout and vicarious traumaFor more informationLinks:Elizabeth A. McGuier, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh“Team Functioning and Performance in Child Advocacy Center Multidisciplinary Teams,” McGuier, E. A.; Rothenberger, S. D.; Campbell, K. A.; Keeshin, B.; Weingart, L. R.; & Kolko, D. J. (2022). Child Maltreatment, 0(0). DOI 10.1177/10775595221118933NCA members receive research-to-practice briefs every Monday morning as a benefit of membership. “Team Functioning and Performance in Child Advocacy Center Multidisciplinary Teams” was the subject of the message on September 12, 2022.Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress, developed through a collaboration of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah and the Center for Safe and Healthy Families at Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital Outcome Measurement System (OMS) currently has four surveys that CACs can administer: Youth Feedback Survey, Caregiver Initial Visit Survey, Caregiver Follow-Up Survey, Multidisciplinary TeamFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

If you haven’t already read Out of the Shadows, both the country report and the most recent edition, which is focused on U.S. state-by-state analysis, run—don’t walk—to get a copy. As child abuse professionals, you’ve probably wondered how the U.S. and, in fact, your state stack up on child sexual abuse prevention and intervention. The Out of the Shadows Index aims to answer that question by examining the legal framework, public policy, and also investments by states and countries. In today’s episode, we speak with Araceli Irurzun Pérez, research analyst at Economist Impact and a lead researcher on the Out of the Shadows report. As you will hear, the results are a bit surprising and turn upside down assumptions that we might have about the landscape within and across states.Are these responses predictable by political affiliation? Nope. Or exclusively about financial resources? No, sir. And yet, one of the chief findings was that, while Children’s Advocacy Centers bear much of the burden for child sexual abuse prevention and intervention in the U.S.—and, indeed, in every state—they are woefully under-resourced.Want a roadmap to improve child sexual abuse prevention and intervention in your state? Then please take a listen.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:51)Surprising findings (6:18)What’s lacking in most countries (10:25)What some countries do well (11:56)The U.S. pilot project (19:34)What we need to do next (29:49)Advice for child abuse professionals (33:46)For more information (37:11)Links:Araceli Irurzun Pérez, research manager at Economist Impact and a lead researcher on the Out of the Shadows IndexOut of the Shadows - US Pilot: Shining a Light on Prevention of and Response to Child Sexual Exploitation Abuse in the US (2022), Economist Impact, London, UKFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Clergy have a uniquely intimate place in the lives of people of faith: present at baptisms, weddings, sick beds, and funerals. They’re with us when we’re at our worst and at our best, and life’s highs and lows. And while most clergy view this as a sacred trust with parishioners, others—as we have learned—sadly use that access and trust to abuse children.Anna Segura-Montagut, Ph.D., joins us to discuss a research study that moves beyond news accounts, books, and movies to explore critical questions when working with survivors of clergy abuse. How is survivors’ belief in God affected by the abuse? And how does that impact resilience? How is their trust in institutions affected? How does that impact their access to the very social and community supports needed to heal from that abuse? And most importantly, how do we walk besides these survivors in their own healing journey even as we struggle with our own feelings about faith and faith communities?Topics in this episode:Research decisions (1:37)Similarities and differences (5:03)Impact on belief (9:43)Advice for child abuse professionals (15:25)Entrapment (18:19)Implications for clergy and the church (20:26)Future research (23:51)What survivors need (25:44)Reason to hope (31:17)Links:Anna Segura-Montagut, Ph.D., clinical psychologist; assistant research scientist, Family Translational Research Group at NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management“An Exploratory Study on Mental Health, Social Problems and Spiritual Damage in Victims of Child Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy and Other Perpetrators,” N. Pereda, L. Contreras Taibo, A. Segura Montagut, F. Maffioletti, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 31(2):1-19. DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2022.2080142, May 2022Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., appeared on One in Ten on February 14, 2020. Her interview was later republished on August 6, 2020, as part of our “Best of the Best” series. “Greater Than the Sum—Multiple Adversities in Children’s Lives”Victoria Banyard, Ph.D. For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast. Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

If you’re a child abuse professional, at one time or another you’ve wondered, “Why was this case prosecuted but that one wasn’t?” Or felt frustrated because even though everyone on the multidisciplinary team believed the child had been abused, the case still couldn’t move forward. These questions and discussions are a routine part of case review and everyday life on a multidisciplinary team. But they are also often a black box to everybody else: The teacher that reported the abuse, the community, and even the family itself. What would it mean if we could unpack those decisions and better understand how these decisions are made—and, more importantly, improve cases so that more are made? How might it change the way we think about justice and its role in healing if we truly come to grips with how very rare it is in real life? And how might we better support children and families that do go through the criminal justice process so that that in itself doesn’t add to the trauma?Dr. Stephanie Block from UMass Lowell joins us to discuss her recent research into why more child sexual abuse cases aren’t prosecuted.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:54)Research foundation (4:28)The hypotheses and findings (7:57)Caregiver support (14:08)Unexpected findings (22:41)Prosecutors’ view (27:07)Research and solutions (32:52)Advice to policy makers (34:43)For more information (38:22)Links:Stephanie Block, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Psychology, UMass Lowell“Predictors of Prosecutorial Decisions in Reports of Child Sexual Abuse,” Block, S.; Johnson, H.; Williams, L.; Shockley, K.; Wang, E.; and Widaman, K. Child Maltreatment, 2022 Vol 0(0) 1-12. DOI: 10.1177/10775595221074375“Rare Justice: Why Aren’t More Cases Prosecuted?” Teresa Huizar, National Children’s Alliance research into practice message, March 21, 2022Ted Cross, Ph.D., recently joined us on One in Ten to discuss “The Future of Possible in Children’s Advocacy Centers” (August 25, 2022)For more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Over the last several years, we’ve become more and more aware of the challenges and—let’s face it—the inadequacies of the child welfare system. Disproportionality is real—the way in which families of color can be caught up in the system at rates that truly boggle the mind. And how about worker shortages, which are also real and tax those still on the front line. More than ever, child protective services has become the system of last resort for families failed by every other system. But what are we going to do about it? How do we address racial inequities within the system? How do we add youth voices and those with lived experience in a meaningful way into program planning? And how do we learn from the data what works and eliminate practices that clearly don’t? We spoke with Christine James-Brown from the Child Welfare League of America about how we might reform and reimagine the child welfare system.Topics in this episode:Origin story (1:51)The problem with child welfare (3:07)Where to start (12:16)Neglect (16:52)Rebuild the system (19:05)Interesting strategies (24:56)Build trust (31:25)Child welfare workers (35:24)For more information (39:20)Links:Christine James-Brown, president and CEO, Child Welfare League of America, Inc.SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramBowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Robert D. PutnamChapin Hall at the University of ChicagoFor more information about National Children’s Alliance and the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit our website at NationalChildrensAlliance.org. Or visit our podcast website at OneInTenPodcast.org. And join us on Facebook at One in Ten podcast.Support the showDid you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.