Child maltreatment has received increased attention in Oregon in the last few years for good reason. Each year there are eight to ten thousand confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in this state. Nationally, Oregon ranks second highest in rate of child maltreatment fatalities. Family members are most frequently identified as the perpetrators of the maltreatment.
While all children are vulnerable to maltreatment, children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Compared to other children, children with disabilities face:
- Increased risk for maltreatment;
- Longer duration of maltreatment;
- Potentially more severe and long-lasting effects of maltreatment; and,
- Reduced likelihood of intervention.
Recognizing the problem of maltreatment of children with disabilities, representatives from child protective and disabilities organizations and diverse families began to meet as the OAKS coalition – the Oregon Alliance for Kids with Special Needs. With grant funding from the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities, they established their mission to examine how the abuse and neglect of children with disabilities could be prevented and treated within a community context.
The purpose of this Call to Action is to raise awareness about the relationship between childhood disability and maltreatment, provide resource information, identify service gaps and opportunities for improvement, and stimulate community-based change to prevent and respond to maltreatment.
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