Children are a very special part of any given society. They induce fundamental intuition to nature as well as protect. As such, there is a need for children to grow safe, happy, and healthy (Lawrence, 2004). In the midst of the welfare systems and structures, are the community and family. The well-being of children is a very significant factor in their lives. As such, there ought to be a particular body of law that ensures the protection of child’s welfare (Mallon, 2014). It is for such reasons that there was the establishment of child welfare regulations in the United States of America. Such regulations make it possible for the children to receive protection as far as their rights are concerned. With such regulations, it is possible to manage children’s rights with respect to both sustainable and proactive aspects. For a long time, these regulations have been noted to be very efficient in maintaining the welfare of children. Nevertheless, Pecora (2009) points out that a problem in the implementation of these child welfare regulations exists. Notably, there is a need for a change in the application as well as the delivery of child welfare regulations. A lasting solution would be to adopt a community-oriented and children-focused approach. Such an approach would help in achieving child welfare regulations that are more proactive and efficient.
What then would help in making these regulations more efficient and proactive? The existing child welfare regulations came into existence many years ago. For example, the United States of America started its campaigns to protect the welfare of its children back in the 19th century. These regulations have never been reviewed since then so that they can match with the current child’s needs. Ever since the 19th century, the different needs of American children have changed gradually. As such, the needs that children have at the present do not relate in any way to the 19th century needs. The implication is that the welfare regulations have no place in the well-being of children of the US. For this reason, the change of the child welfare regulations from the old approach to one that takes into consideration the current needs of children as well their community orientation is eminent. This would thus lead to efficient and highly proactive regulations (Lang & Hartill, 2014).
Perhaps, anybody would be concerned with the advantages of effecting the changes of the current child welfare regulations to a more child-focused approach. According to Lang and Hartill (2014), the change of regulations will come with a number of advantages. The first advantage that comes to a change of child welfare regulations is the adoption of current children’s needs in the welfare regulations. Usually, the old system of welfare regulations does not feature the current needs of the children’s welfare. The reason for this is attributable to the fact that these regulations do not focus on an approach concerned with the needs of children or the community (Pecora, 2009).
Notably, the needs of the children as far as their rights and protection are concerned, change with time. Such changes make it hard for the original regulations to hold with respect to their welfare. For this reason, adopting a current approach that takes into consideration the current needs of the children and the environment they are in will be an essential strategy. Such a strategy will work towards achieving proactive and sustainable child welfare regulations. The reason is that it will bring extensive experience in the welfare of children in the United States of America.
Secondly, a child-focused approach to child welfare in the light of Lawrence (2004), is likely to result in the pursuit of solutions that are bold and action-based. Even though the present situations surrounding the child’s welfare regulations have been actively campaigning for the promotion of child’s welfare and the protection of their rights, there is little action (Kamerman & Ben-Arieh, 2009). The lack of action is attributable to systems and institutions that are rarely focused on approaching their welfare campaigns from the community and children’s perspective. Instead, they base their emphasis on a general welfare approach. As such, a children-focused approach will in effect take consideration of the accountability, performance, and restructuring of the existing systems in order to ensure sustainable and proactive welfare regulations. Such an approach will ensure that the adopted policies and regulations are considerate of the economic, social, as well as environmental aspects of children.
Thirdly, just as Kamerman and Ben-Arieh (2009) suggest, a child-focused approach will be more advantageous. Such a strategy will set regulations that are highly proactive and community-oriented. As such, there is the need for systems and institutions that recognize not only the needs of the children but also those of the community where the children live. These are what a child-focused and community-oriented approach to the welfare of the children features. With such strategies, it would be possible for the systems to approach the welfare and needs of the children from a broad perspective. Such would align them to the available bodies in the society, which have the mandate of protecting the rights and welfare of children (Milner, Mitchell, & Hornsby, 2011). As such, it would be easy to monitor and implement issues related to children and their welfare based on such a universal approach. In addition, a child-focused and community-oriented approach will make it possible to maintain a balance of the current children’s needs all over the United States of America.
From the preceding, it is evident that there is a need to change the current children’s welfare regulations in the US. The need arises because the existing regulations are not focused enough on the needs that children in the US have presently. As such, adopting a child-focused and community-oriented approach to children’s welfare regulations is the only way to ensure that they are proactive and sustainable considering that there is a dramatic change in child’s needs. For this reason, a revision of the current regulations to feature a more child and community-based approach would be essential. With such a strategy, it would be possible to address the needs of the children and the problems facing the community. Just as Mallon (2014) points out, this approach will enhance better decision-making procedures with consideration of the social values of both the children and the community. Therefore, such welfare regulations, which are based on the children and community needs, will thus help in ensuring that they are proactive and sustainable. Such is possible since they would provide a broad experience in the systems performance, accountability, and restructuring with the needs of the children and community at heart.
References
Kamerman, S., Phipps, S., & Ben-Arieh, A. (2009). From child welfare to child well-being: an international perspective on knowledge in the service of policy-making. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.
Lang, M., & Hartill, M. (2014). Safeguarding, Child Protection, and Abuse. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Lawrence, A. (2004). Principles of child protection. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Mallon, G. (2014). Child welfare for the twenty-first century. New York: Columbia University Press.
Milner, J., Mitchell, L., & Hornsby, W. (2011). Child and family services reviews. Changing Practice Journal, 4(12), 706-720.
Pecora, P. (2009). The child welfare challenge. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers.