Responding to Child Maltreatment: Comparison Between the United States and China

Background and Purpose

A recent study estimated that over one-fourth of Chinese children have suffered child maltreatment (Fang et al., 2015). However, current child welfare policy in China has been limited to the following populations: orphans, abandoned children, and street children. Also, comparative research on Chinese and other countries’ child welfare systems is very minimal. The purpose of this study is to analyze applicable United States and Chinese child welfare policies, identify gaps in Chinese policy regarding child maltreatment, and make recommendations for a policy agenda for improving child welfare in China.

Methods

Based on literature review of existing Chinese child welfare system, we developed a framework, including the context of child welfare policy, child protective services, foster care, and adoption, to compare the U.S. and Chinese child welfare policies. We then identified relevant policies in China, and applied their provisions to child maltreatment. Comparison of indicators between the U.S. and China provided implications to identify gaps and needs of the Chinese child welfare system and to establish systematic child welfare policies in China to improve children’s well-being.

Results

Relevant child welfare policies in China are contained in the constitution law, the minor protection law, the anti-domestic violence law, the foster care administration approach, and the adoption law. Drawing from the U.S., applicable child welfare policies cover approaches to child protective services, foster care, adoption, and in-home services. China has a number of policies regarding children’s safety and permanence, but they have not yet been implemented with respect to child maltreatment, and the definition of child maltreatment has not been developed. For future child welfare policy development, it is critical for the Chinese government to reframe existing policy and to develop social work practice to provide child welfare services.

Conclusions and Implications

China has great capacity to make improvements in child protection and child welfare services. Based on results of this study, several implications were developed. China should define child abuse and neglect to be congruent with Chinese cultural values, community standards, and parenting practices, and require that child-serving professionals report suspected maltreatment. China can then establish an independently responsible department for responding to child maltreatment allegations, and create a cooperative climate between the child welfare system and other government agencies, especially the court system, in order to handle such issues as termination of parents’ rights and transfers of custody and guardianship. Improving and expanding upon foster care in China may require implementation of formal and informal kinship care and expansion of recruitment efforts in order to motivate Chinese families to serve as non-relative foster parents. Finally, China can expand existing adoption policies to promote the safety, permanence, and well-being of all maltreated children. Since social work is an emerging profession in China, social workers can play a critical role in re-envisioning child welfare policy to prevent and respond to child maltreatment. It is also essential that social work practitioners and researchers work to promote culturally responsive, evidence-based services and conduct research to affect child welfare policy.