Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch

By:  David S. Williams, MPA                                                                                In 1983, the United States declared April as the National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and since that time, community agencies across the country have made concerted efforts to promote child abuse and neglect awareness activities.   Here in Alabama, the Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch is proud to join the statewide effort to prevent the abuse of children.  According to the Kids County Data Center, the rate of children (rate per 1,000 children) with indication of abuse or neglect in Alabama is 9.3.   Each year, the incidence of child abuse and neglect costs millions of dollars to agencies at all levels of governments because of the many other risk factors associated with child abuses such as substance abuse, truancy, and host of other risk factors involving children and families.  Strong prevention programs at the local levels are one powerful way to curb such high costs and improve the lives of Alabama’s children.

 According to national organization Prevent Child Abuse America, some researchers and practitioners have argued that prevention of abuse is in part tied to providing therapeutic treatment to children or young people who have been abused or neglected.  Such therapeutic treatment can improve the physical and cognitive development of abused treatment and also help break the cycle of abuse and violence commonly demonstrated by victims of child neglect and abuse.  One of the 5 protective factors relating to child abuse prevention from the Children’s Bureau in the Department of Health and Human Services is building and maintaining social connections.  Social isolation or lack of support is a risk factor of child maltreatment; access to community resources, programs, and other adults is one way to provide support to parents and children to prevent the maltreatment of children.  It is in these areas that the Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch is working diligently to combat child abuse in neglect in our communities because we offer a unique form of therapeutic treatment to young people utilizing our very own horses.  Additionally, we recognize our role as a community service provider that connects children and families with other adults and resources to foster meaningful social connections and emotional support. 

 Though the field of research on animal-assisted therapy, especially equine-assisted therapy, is still emerging, there are many programs and therapists that have demonstrated the value of using animals to improve physical and mental well-being.  Animal-assisted therapy helps improve a maltreated child’s receptiveness to the environment, teaches empathy, coping with stress and hurtful situations, and a variety of other outcomes.  We believe that the programs of the Spirit of Hope are a vital link in the treatment of emotionally disturbed children as well as the prevention of future child abuse and neglect because we might provide the only opportunity in our clients’ lives the break the potential cycle of violence and abuse. 

So this April, please join us in supporting the National Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Together, we can make a difference in the lives of Alabama’s children.

 For more information:

Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/factors.cfm

Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center  http://datacenter.kidscount.org

Prevent Child Abuse America  http://www.preventchildabuse.org

 George, M. H. (1999). The Role of Animals in the Emotional Development of Children. In F. R. Ascione, & P. Arkow (Eds.), Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention (pp. 380-392). West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.

 “Fact Sheet: An Approach to Preventing Child Abuse” by Prevent Child Abuse America.  Adapted from: Cohn Donnelly, A. (1997). An Approach to Preventing Child Abuse, Chicago, IL: National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse.

 Kazdin, A. E. (2010). Methodological Standards and Strategies for Establishing the Evidence Base of Animal-Assisted Therapies. In Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice (pp. 519-546). London: Academic Press.

 Melson, G. F., & Fine, A. H. (2010). Animals in the Lives of Children. In A. H. Fine (Ed.), Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice (pp. 223-245). London: Academic Press.