Child abuse reports rise in South Florida

Child abuse reports rise in South Florida, officials say
By Jerome Burdi
Sun Sentinel
Posted: 11:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011

South Florida has seen a rise in child-abuse cases and officials are calling for more awareness after a year in which the state's social service agency has investigated some gruesome ones.

....Despite increases, DCF officials attribute part of the rise to differences in their reporting system, which now assigns investigators to cases that aren't necessarily neglect or abuse. Cases now can include the power going out at a home because parents failed to pay the power bill, Riordan said.

Experts say it's things such as a pile of unpaid bills because of a poor economy that can lead parents to excess stress and child abuse.

"Everything depends on the person and how they are able to cope with stress," said Suzanne Guyette, director of the social services hotline 211 in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. "There are always places like 211 you can call if you're worried about becoming a victim or worried you might become an abuser."

....A poor economy may also be what caused increases in food stamp applications.

Palm Beach County led the state in increased applicants for food stamps, DCF records show. In November, 151,448 individuals in Palm Beach County received the benefits. The number has steadily climbed from 75,197 recipients in January 2009, the DCF said. In Broward County, 232,144 people got food stamps in November, rising from 130,218 in January 2009.

"Our economy is making it harder for parents to be parents," said Kelly Powell, director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County. "They are so tolled mentally that they are not able to provide the basic services for their children." 

When stress invades the household, it can become broken. Tensions rise when bills aren't paid and a crying child can escalate the negative atmosphere, Powell said.

"You have to have shelter, food and safety," she said. "And [losing those things] can cause some of the neglect and abuse out there." FULL STORY

User comments are not being accepted on this article.  Damnit!  I wanted to point out that dealing with DCF in the middle of bad economic times isn't helping anybody.