History of CPS

http://www.child-abuse-effects.com/          http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/health/15abus.html?_r=0

    Child Abuse has always existed, it is nothing new to the past few years. It has been a big problem throughout the world, although they may not have considered it to be child abuse. People considered it to be the discipline of their children, a way to make them listen. In ancient Rome, parents had the right to own property and also their children. Fathers had permission to discipline their children anyway they felt they needed . In England, children were also considered the property of their father. They sent their children to factories, mines, and workhouse to work. When they were not working hard enough they were beaten so that they could work faster and harder. In England, children worked sixteen hour days in factories while chained.

    In that time, it was considered acceptable behavior for the parents to beat their child. It was not until 1873, that child abuse became noticed when a little girl, Mary Ellen was abused and neglected by her parents. She was locked in a dark room all day while her parents were gone. This child abuse was brought to attention by Mrs. Angell Wheele and Mr. Henry Bergh. At this time, there were no child protection laws, but there were laws against animal abuse. Thus, Ms.Wheele took the case to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because she felt that since animals had protection, children should too. Henry Bergh then took it to the New York Supreme Court where Mary Ellen was taken out of her mother’s care. In December 1974, a child protective agency was founded called “New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children”. Life was hard for children from many different cultures and backgrounds because they were abused by mainly their parents. In the past, it was not considered child abuse but as a way of disciplining their children. Parents and adults in those centuries did not see it as a problem but as a way to teach their children.

     I feel that in the ancient times, it was still child abuse anyway you put it. They were beating on their children because they were not doing the right thing or because they didn't work hard enough. This also happened in England and I feel that parents should not have considered their children property. These children were beaten everyday by there parents for things that were not that serious, I think that those parents could have talked to them and that would have been enough for them to work harder. They did not have to take it as far as beating them to work faster. This is exactly how child abuse came around. To try to prevent this abuse a child protective agency was formed and I believe that this helped a little. It helped stop some child abuse but not all of it happening in this world. Children were and are still being abused even though there are child protective agencies out there that are supposed to stop this horrible abuse.