Carla Robinson
BSHS/408
April 4, 2016
James Bell
In this paper the discussion will be about the history of child abuse and child neglect and how it has helped shape current policies. According to the Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary child abuse is the beating, neglect, or other mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian. According to the Mosby’s Medical Dictionary child neglect is the failure by parents or guardians to provide for the basic human needs of a child by physical or emotional deprivation that interferes with normal growth and development or that places a child in jeopardy.
Some fact on the history of child abuse and child neglect in the Ancient Cultures are infanticide where babies were killed by violence or neglect. In Greece and Rome children were not given a name until they were several days or months old. Parent could do whatever they wanted they to them because they were not considered human until they were given a name. Children were left on mountainsides or in the street or for people to claim as they choose (Van Hook, 1920). Children in the Ancient Cultures were mistreated left for dead and simply killed because they had some form of deformity. In the Middle Age and the nineteenth century many children did not survive because of starvation, a lack of food and abuse. Parents back then valued their children as product and often sold them or used them as worked as soon as they could walk. In the nineteenth century in New England, Europe and the United Stated things changes. Preventive programs became available for children who were left at home while their parent went to work. Maria Montessori was approached in Italy and was asked to establish a nursery for children in the slums. This is how the Montessori schools started. In the 1800’s and 1900’s more programs were being implemented for children who were abandoned and abuse. Because of how children were treated laws were...