The 7-year-old boy's hands were badly burnt; it was suspected that his mother had forced his hands into boiling hot water after she caught him masturbating. The staff did not want the mother to be allowed near the boy

Question

Which of the following statements would be made by the nurse to encourage the staff to interact more objectively with the mother?
a.
"If we won't let the mom near, who does the child have for support at this painful time?"
b.
"Most abusers were themselves abused as children and need help to learn how to be a more effective parent."
c.
"The child may feel responsible; we have to let the mother fix their relationship."
d.
"We need to encourage the mother to continue parenting him or the boy will become a ward of the state."

Answer 1

ANS: B
Most child maltreatment occurs within the family. Risk factors for child maltreatment include but are not limited to special needs children (children with disabilities, mental retardation, or chronic illness), children less than 4 years of age, family history of violence, substance abuse, poverty, and social isolation. Thus, it is most important that the staff provide support to the mother. The purpose of allowing the mother with the child is not for additional support for the child or mother, rather the recognition that the mother may have a history of abuse as well and needs assistance to change the patterns of behavior that have been learned through her own life experience.