Distinguishing between poor/dysfunctional parenting and child emotional maltreatment : Distinguer entre le mauvais parentage/parentage dysfonctionnel et la violence psychologique envers les enfants

Conclusions and recommendations focus on practical guidelines for assessing risk and activating appropriate prevention and intervention: 1) parental actions and relative risk of harm to the child are both important ingredients in defining and distinguishing child emotional maltreatment from other forms of poor parenting; 2) poor parenting methods fall along a broad continuum and fit within a popul [...] The objectives of the day were to 1) Enhance understanding of the issue of emotional maltreatment in early childhood from a public health perspective; 2) Identify research and policy gaps, challenges and opportunities, and public health policy priorities to inform future work in the area; and 3) Provide an opportunity for networking with key players in the field [The Public Health Agency of Canada [...] Responsiveness refers to the level of acceptance and sensitivity that the parent expresses to the child, whereas demandingness/control refers to the clarity of expectations that the parent has for the child’s behaviour, as well as the supervisory and disciplinary strategies utilized to achieve these ends. [...] Authoritative parents are characterized by the provision of ongoing warmth and support, especially during times of uncertainty and stress, and yet their emotional care is not devoid of the application of helpful guidelines, limits, and the structuring of a predictable routine. [...] The American Academy of Pediatrics (Kairys et al., 2002) uses the same APSAC categories, while adding unreliable or inconsistent parenting and witnessing intimate partner violence to the list.1 1 Debate exists as to how children’s exposure to domestic violence might relate to emotional maltreatment, and the pros and cons of child welfare response to the issue.