Main purpuse is to protect children against neglect and abuse. Purposes are also to promote health, safety, and development (mental and physical well being) Children grow, learn, develop lifetime skills within the context of parent-child relationships, family context and social enviroment. Family plays a role in how structural and developmental aspects are shaped. Some cultural practices can be mistaken for " CHILD ABUSE" One has to have knowledge of cross cultural relationships in order to identify these types of mistakes; some cultures have early child marriage, folk remedies, and corporal punishment which might be seen as neglect. Please have in mind that there is no universal standard for child rearing. Some cultural based issues such as poverty, immigration status, and discrimination can lead to parental stress and creates risk factors for abuse. Furthermore, Ethnic/Racial disparities in child welfare system are overepresented. There are more children in out of home care (African Americans, Hispanic, Native Americans) than caucasians. Families are less likely to recieve quality health care, mental health services and community based practice.
"All children deserve equal social services; that is educational and developmental. These services should not be based on cultural bakground, ethnicity or family economic status" Arianna Leon
