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Cooper (1977 : 157-160) wrote and, on a visit to Durban in 1982, said that social
workers must get rid of the belief that separating a child from his family is harmful
and only to be used as a last resort. If the long-term needs of the child are carefully
assessed, removal and permanent placement, or removal and intensive family therapy
prior to return of the child, can be regarded as positive.
Child abuse occurs because the parent is unable to solve his problems. Behaviour
modification techniques followed by intensive family therapy enabled the parents to
cope (Polakow & Peabody 1975). Family therapy allows the parents to learn how to
parent, particularly if co-therapists are used to model this behaviour (Paulson &
Chaleff 1972). Social workers have a vital role in parenting the parent, meeting their
dependency needs until they can be better parents. They must educate the parents in
the knowledge of normal child development and enable them to modify their own
behaviour. Putting them in touch with self-help groups will help them overcome their
isolation. Working through the removal of the child is essential. And the social worker
should have the back up of a unit or team so that she does not work in isolation
(Holmes et al. 1975).
The resocialization of abusive families is a goal which can be viewed in short-term
perspectives, by means such as crisis intervention, telephone hot-lines, crisis nurseries,
day care centres, temporary removal of the child by the courts. Or in long-term
perspectives which aim at restructuring the parents' attitudes, values and behaviours
so that the family is completely resocialised and able to cope in society. The social
worker needs short-term and long-term plans in order to be effective (Parke 1980 :
295).
(2) The role of the hospital in the treatment of child abuse
The hospitals are often the point of first contact with child abuse as parents take
children to the hospital for treatment. The hospital can initiate protective services by
detaining the child and calling the agency social workers in to start management ofthe
case. The hospital staff-psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians, social workers -