Improving the lives of children
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What do you think did more to help improve the lives of children: the orphan trains or the sensational case of Mary Ellen Wilson?
How can one tell the difference between maltreatment and accidental injury? What are the warning signs in children or the elderly who may be maltreated, abused, and/or neglected?
Visit the website: http://www.llsdc.org/state-legislation or https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/elder-justice-statutes-0 and find a bill or law in your state that addresses child maltreatment or elderly abuse. What is one bill or law that you found regarding child abuse or elderly abuse and what is its status? How might this bill or law affect the children or elderly in your state?
Is there an absolute definition of abuse and neglect? If not, should there be, why or why not? Please provide examples of abuse and neglect in your answer.
In your opinion, is one form off abuse or neglect worse than another?
Sample Solution
The orphan train and the sensational case of Mary Ellen Wilson both had a significant impact on improving the lives of children. The orphan trains, which began in 1854, were responsible for relocating approximately 200,000 homeless children from overcrowded urban areas to rural parts of America where families could adopt them (Erikson Institute 2020). This was an important step towards providing stable homes and improved living conditions for many otherwise destitute children.
At the same time, the sensational Mary Ellen Wilson case helped bring attention to child abuse laws in New York City and set a precedent for other states to follow suit when it came to protecting vulnerable minors from exploitation and maltreatment (Fattah 2021). The efforts of Etta Wheeler—the caseworker who investigated Mary’s situation—brought awareness about how neglectful parenting can lead to severe physical and psychological harm. As a result, this case prompted lawmakers across the country to introduce new regulations that provided legal protections for minors who faced abuse or neglect such as establishing minimum age requirements for employment or introducing penalties for those convicted of child cruelty.Erikson Institute 2020,\”A Brief History Of Orphan Trains\”, https://erikson.edu/about-us/our-history/orphan-trains/.
In conclusion, both these initiatives have done immense amounts of work towards helping improve the lives of countless children around America by increasing public understanding and awareness regarding matters related to their welfare.
