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With a growing number of cases such as child abuse and family violence recently, seasoned counsellor Linden Swaving believes that more emphasis should be placed on family education, support, and counselling.
He offered this view on Tuesday following a recent case where a mother was observed physically abusing her child in a viral video.
The mother has since been arrested by police, and the child has been placed in the custody of his grandparents.
The matter caught the attention of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, which indicated that the Childcare and Protection Agency (CCPA) had reached out and interviewed the mother. The child is now safe.
In an invited comment to Ignite News, Swaving said the occurrence of such issues is sometimes a signal of a cry for help. He pointed to the need for more parent education programmes and initiatives to assist parents in coping with life’s challenges.
“Because it is going to continue to happen if some parents think that using the child in that way is the solution to their problem. In some instances, it has to do with parenting skills, but not always,” he said.
The counsellor added that these issues may also occur due to certain factors such as stress or triggers, caused by a parent’s inability to provide basic needs or a lack of emotional or financial support.
“The inability to provide for a child’s wants and needs can trigger an abusive response. One of the things that can negate that kind of behaviour is economic viability. People not having the resources to deal with the demands of children, even in situations like that,” he explained.
Additionally, he said such behaviours may be a result of a lack of emotional support and comfort.
“Once a parent is in a situation where they’re comfortable economically, socially, and emotionally, where there’s that balance, it is even more difficult for them to mete out such a punitive measure. I think quite often, when children are abused, it’s because the adult’s needs are not met,” Swaving said.
Nevertheless, he said there is a need for people to learn how to communicate and cope through their actions and forms of communication.
“Sometimes even in our actions we communicate certain things—both non-verbal and verbal. There has to be less violence in even our communication and actions, because sometimes it can be the first thing that comes to mind when we communicate harshly—it’s a harsh act. So, if we can communicate in less violent ways, in other words, communicate in more compassionate ways, acting in more compassionate ways, that will help to foster better relationships. When we operate from a position of comfort, it is easier,” the counsellor said.
He further pointed to the need to delve deeper into the needs of parents and lend support in areas where they are lacking, as well as to end the cycle of violence, even in corrective measures.
Swaving noted that counselling may help to identify issues and target them more specifically.
He added that patient advocacy to target issues such as postpartum depression for expecting mothers is also necessary, and stressed the need to end the stigma attached to seeking help for related family issues.
The counsellor noted that in some cases, people may require help, but there might be a cost factor. He pointed out that counselling should be easily accessible, and more emphasis should be placed on general well-being.
The Protection of Children Act of 2009 ensures the protection of all children from birth to 17 years old and also includes people who are disabled. It includes protection from all forms of abuse, including physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual, as well as issues such as neglect, abandonment, domestic violence, and denial of the right to education or medical attention.
The Act stipulates that everyone has the duty to report all forms of abuse to the police, who in turn report it to the CCPA.
