Child Advocacy Centers are institutions that are set aside to deal with issues that revolve around child maltreatment. In their definitions, a child may be a person of tender years or merely someone below the age of sixteen years. The major roles exercised by Child Advocacy Centers are focused on the protection of children against abuse. Child abuse can take the shape of, sexual harassment, denial of essentials and basic needs, severe treatments and beatings and unfair treatments. Children Advocacy Centers achieve their objectives by conducting investigations in regard to reported cases of child maltreatment (Turner, 2011, pg.4-23). Similarly, these organizations scout for instances of child abuse in the society in the context of unreported cases. In this regard, it is believed that, there are aspects of child abuse that do not find their way in the public view.
As the founder of a Child Advocacy Center established in NYS, I will do a number of things in investigating and solving the perceived child abuse that Peter is undergoing. I will first of all institute an MDT that will consist of eleven people. These people will include; four people with knowledge in legal issues, two heads of the two different churches of prominence in NYS. The other five people will be employees of the Child Advocacy Center. In this regard, the team will follow the directions of the teacher in locating the home of the Peter. If it is established that it is within the jurisdiction of NYS, then investigations on the gravity of the issue will follow suit. The investigations will be supported by the police or authority within the location of the home of Peter. It is the center of all this events that entailed his case (New York State Office of Children and Family Service, 2012, pg. 12-24). We will conduct interviews. The interviews shall be of a forensic nature for the purposes of the realization of precise and cogent results. Community members will be interviewed in regard to the way they have observed or heard about Peter’s treatment. In essence, the immediate neighbors will be the focus of our interview. Photos will be taken so as to ascertain the position and allegations brought forward by Peter’s teacher. Similarly, medical examination will be instituted so as to determine if Peter was mentally retarded and the likely causes of the situation.
In view of the child’s of the child’s sex, MDT will be mandated to go the home of the child. In this case, they are supposed to have the child come along with them. In the event that Peter comes to my child advocacy center, I will recommend that the child is separated from this family. It is plausible that, the environment was not conducive for his development. Evidently, he is victimized in circumstances that do not advocate for the dominance of a boy child. Before my organization reaches this resolution, I will place investigative measures to establish whether the Peter’s mother treats his twin sister in a better way than the manner in which she treats Peter. If it is deducted that Peter gets unfair treatments at the expense of his sister, it will be empirical that his mother had discriminated him because of his sex (Children's Bureau, 2012, pg.40-50). According to personality theorists, it is held that behavior and character of child are developed at an early stage in life which attributes to below the age of five.
In the context of sexes, it is established boys at this stage cling more to their mothers as opposed to their fathers. In this case, Peter’s mental retardation can be equated to the fact that his personality and individual capacity was under the threat of traumatizing circumstances. Trauma, in the disguise of his sex majored the event that resulted to his mental position. In this case, it is possible to come to the conclusion that this had led to his mental situation. Unlike Peter, his twin sister was normal. Neglect is another aspect that is likely to have been witnessed by Peter. The fact that he lived with mother, his sister and his mother’s boyfriend brought a revelation that, it is possible that no concerns were directed towards his well-being and existence. In regard to Peter’s age, my organization will look through his documentation at the school and any other records in the hands of his mother that will aid in the process of his salvation. In the event that the case traverses the processes that involve my organization and lands in the courts, the vindication of his mother and her lover for neglect and inhuman treatment will mean that ways were to be forged so as to protect Peter in respect to his age (Millen, 2013, pp. 21-45).
Issues that need to be addressed are along the schemes of; the cause of Peter’s sexual behavior, the possible reasons behind his mental impairment and the justification and explanations to why he had a burn on his body while his sister was not in any way wounded, scalded or burnt. In this regard, the cause of the amalgamated effects that cripple up Peter will be found(Shay, 2013, pp. 34-78). The role of Peter’s mother will be under question in the legal process that will follow these events.
On the other hand, the Court’s in NYS can help to solve this situation in the event a case is filled in the Courts of Justice. With respect to the legal provisions on the protection of affairs of children, the Courts will look into instances of victimization of children which is against the Children’s Act. In essence, Peter’s mother and her boyfriend will be obliged to exonerate themselves from the information at hand. If it is established that, the accused persons were responsible for these grave acts, the court will issue discretion (Steve, 2013, pp. 104-110). The discretion will hence determine the course of the litigation and subsequent happenings.
References
Children's Bureau. (2012). Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Children Affected by Sexual Abu. Child Welfare Information Gateway, 40-50.
Council, S. (2012). Children's Act. New York: Government Printers.
Enger, B. (2009). Personality Theories. New York: Cengage Learning Publishers.
Millen , H. (2013). Abuse and Neglect cases in the USA. New York: Harvard Education Printers.
New York State Office of Children and Family Servi. (2012). A Summary Guide for Mandated Reporters in New York. New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
Turner, A. H. (2011). The Effects of Child Victimisation on The Metal Health of Children and Adolescents. Social Science and Medicine, 4-23.
