Abused children make up a significant proportion of the young population, with an estimated 695,000 unique children who showed some signs of child abuse or neglect (Bailhache, Leroy, Pillet & Salmi, 2013). Abused children can be from any race or ethnicity – 43.9% of all victims were white, 21.5% were African American, and 22.1% were Hispanic according to 2011 figures (Faller, 2016). The effects of child abuse and neglect are long, and they can continue to affect the psychology, social skills and development of the individual way into adulthood. As such, it is important that social workers and other professionals have an understanding of the topic and what they can do to impact change in this area.

There are a number of different areas which may influence a positive change in this area. One of the most obvious answers to the issue of abused children is to ensure that parents and guardians have access to the education and services that they need to keep their child healthy and safe. This may include mental health services for those who are struggling to deal with parenthood (Faller, 2016). Community services should also be easily reached by educators and community members who think that a child is being abused so that adoption or fostering services become an option.

Developmental theories can be useful in showing how abused children may experience difficulties in growing up and throughout their adult life. If a child is neglected or abused during Erikson’s autonomy vs. shame and doubt stage, for example, they may carry with them a sense of shame and doubt throughout their lives and never get the change to be autonomous in their decision-making (Wolfe & Gentile, 2013). By addressing the different needs of abused children in different developmental stages, change can be made. If educators and neighbors are aware of the signs present in abused children, for example seeing a child express shame and doubt, they can alert the proper authorities who can address the problem in a timely manner.

In terms of system theory, it is easy to see how an abused child and their psychology can be considered part of a wider system – their family, their friends, educators, and neighbors. As such, it is important to address all of these factors when attempting to make change to the numbers of abused children, their fear and their developmental issues. By addressing family members, for example, systems psychology will allow changes to be made not only to child themselves but also make strides in preventing further abuse by understanding the reasons that abuse has happened. Educators are also part of the system, and understanding their psychology as part of the system can help the child to feel part of a family outside their own home, which can foster development and reduce the harm from abuse.

There are a number of opportunities that come from making changes in the system that works with abused children. It has the potential to expand the networks available to the child, as well as to their families, to make it easier to spot and reduce instances of abuse. Unfortunately, there are also challenges. Families may not be willing to participate in therapies which help them understand their abuse or neglect, and this can be compounded by financial issues (Wolfe & Gentile, 2013). Additionally, it is unlikely that abused children will ever be a thing of the past, which means that this change can never truly protect children from abusive teachers, parents or other adults. Despite this, there is hope for the future.