Child Abuse Battle Gets Tougher

Since the shocking--and later disproved--allegations that children were molested at the McMartin preschool in Manhattan Beach more than a decade ago, there has been a heightened sensitivity to child abuse.

Each year seems to bring more horrible tales of innocent, defenseless children beaten or murdered. Orange County unfortunately has had its share of such cases. Last year eight children in the county were ruled to have died from abuse. Six of them were younger than 2.

Reports come in from all sorts of people: neighbors, teachers, store clerks. Those reports on all types of child abuse and neglect in Orange County increased 6% last year over 1996. That is troubling, although, of course, not all are proven. Also worth noting is that the categories for child abuse were expanded in recent years. Now when a child is found to have witnessed domestic violence, the child is considered a victim of emotional abuse.

Thus, last year the number of reports of emotional abuse of children in Orange County rose more than 70%; the number of cases of sexual and physical abuse fell slightly.

But child welfare workers say they are worried that the instances of physical abuse last year seemed more severe. They also worry that welfare reform could make the problem worse.

There has been little argument that the nation’s system of welfare needs to be reformed. Nor has there been much dispute over time limits imposed on welfare recipients.

But it will not be easy to find jobs for everyone now on welfare. And as parents find themselves drawing closer to the day their welfare payments will end, but still jobless, the possibility that they will take their worries out on their children increases.

The Board of Supervisors has allocated $40 million for programs designed to prevent child abuse. It also has committed $75 million for foster care and group homes, which care for children so abused that they must be taken from their families. In addition, the supervisors have earmarked $15 million for the Orangewood Children’s Home. Orangewood is the county’s only emergency shelter for abused and neglected children and periodically faces overcrowding problems.

The county also faces new hurdles in child care because of additional state requirements. Children under 6 can no longer be placed in a county facility or group home for longer than 30 days. Nor can they be placed in a group home with more than six children or in homes housing older children.

That means the county will have to step up its efforts to recruit foster parents. Churches and civic groups also can help, letting members know about the great need for men and women to take children into their homes temporarily or permanently and provide the love and care they deserve but have not received.