5.5 Steele’s Four Conditions Related to Abuse – Answer
If you have not already done so, return to 5.2 Kitra and Janelle Case Study to review the case study and download the Four Conditions Related to Abuse Practice Chart to complete your answer.
Case Study Answer
Parent Factors Related to Risk
| Parent Factors related to Risk: | Evidence: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Kitra – exposure to alcohol and substance abuse |
Kitra grew up with an alcoholic mother and father who also engaged in substance use. |
| 2 |
Chaotic household |
Many people were in and out of her house including a neighbour who befriended the family |
| 3 |
Sexually abused by neighbour |
“She was left in the care of the neighbour who sexually abused her on numerous occasions”. |
| 4 |
CAS involvement due to inconsistent attendance and disclosure |
When Kitra was 10 CAS got involved because her attendance at school was inconsistent. After a Sexual Health and Sexual Safety presentation in class she decided to talk to her teacher about what was happening. Kitra was apprehended by CAS. |
| 5 |
CAS foster child |
At 18, Kitra left her foster home |
| 6 |
Childhood Mental health issues – depression/self-harm |
At 12 she appeared depressed and started to engage in self-harm”. |
| 7 |
Early teenage pregnancy |
At 18, Kitra left her foster home and moved in with her boyfriend Rino. She was pregnant within 3 months. |
| 8 |
Intimate partner violence |
When Janelle was 2-years-old, Rino left. They were often in conflict resulting in physical hitting. |
| 9 |
Does not trust child |
She said she could not afford the apartment alone and would not tolerate Janelle making things up and telling lies. Janelle agreed that she was making it up and said sorry to her mom. |
| 10 |
Does not trust authority/institutions |
She did not go back to the Doctor. She did not attend the well-baby clinic in case they judged her for how she was caring for her baby. Kitra was called to the school for an appointment to discuss support for Janelle to help her integrate into the classroom milieu. Kitra did not attend. |
Child Factors Related to Risk
| Child Factors related to Risk: | Evidence: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Attachment concerns |
When Janelle was born Kitra struggled to initially bond with Janelle. She identified her tremendous fear of not being able to protect her and this worry consuming her. |
| 2 |
Academic concerns |
As such she is lagging behind her peers in literacy and numeracy. |
| 3 |
Exposure to intimate partner violence |
When Janelle was 2-year-old, Rino left. They were often in conflict resulting in physical hitting. At first Janelle liked Will because he liked her mom but then they started fighting all the time. |
| 4 |
Two father figures |
At 18, Kitra left her foster home and moved in with her boyfriend Rino. She was pregnant within 3 months. When Janelle was 4.5 years old, Kitra met a new partner, Will. He had a car, and this contributed to some ease and freedom. Kitra and her partner decided to live together after 3 months of dating. |
| 5 |
Child maltreatment |
When her mom went out, he was mean to her too calling her stupid. Will yelled at her and hit her with his hand on the back of her head. She tried to hide from him, but he was always yelling and hitting her. |
| 6 |
Janelle discloses abuse to mother and is not believed |
She said she could not afford the apartment alone and would not tolerate Janelle making things up and telling lies. Janelle agreed that she was making it up and said sorry to her mom. |
Environmental Factors Contributing to Stress
| Environment Factors Contributing to Stress | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Overly protective mothering |
Kitra was an overly protective mother citing her past as the reason |
| 2 |
Increased stress due to child-care |
Soon Kitra would leave Janelle with Will when she was out. |
| 3 |
Spilled coffee creating a mess causing stress |
When Janelle spilled Will’s coffee, he yelled at her and hit her with his hand on the back of her head. |
| 4 |
Conflict with stepfather, Will |
They would fight when her mom was home, and she didn’t stop it. |
| 5 |
Financial issues |
When Will hit her with the phone, Janelle told her mom, however, Kitra became angry suggesting that Janelle was making things up and trying to ruin her relationship. She said she could not afford the apartment alone and would not tolerate Janelle making things up and telling lies. |
| Absence of Supports related to Risk: | Evidence: | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Medical Doctor involvement |
When Kitra went to the Doctor for a pregnancy check-up, she was told about the well-baby program and encouraged to attend when her baby was born. She did not go back to the Dr. She did not trust them worrying they might take her baby away. |
| 2 |
Well-baby Program |
She did not attend the well-baby clinic in case they judged her for how she was caring for her baby. |
| 3 |
School Involvement |
Janelle started school in senior kindergarten, she is academically weak not understanding any numbers, letter and struggling to play cooperatively with other children. Kitra was called to the school for an appointment to discuss support for Janelle to help her integrate into the classroom milieu. Kitra did not attend. She called and said she was sick. She sat in Tim Hortons using the free wifi searching for other nearby schools. She knew her daughter was not “dumb”, and no one was going to tell her she was. She would remove her from a school that did not like her daughter. |
| 4 |
Public Health involvement |
The Public Health Unit attended the school to administer the vaccinations. |
| 5 |
CAS involvement |
The nurse called CAS. Through an investigation Will was identified as abusing Janelle. He was removed from the home. A CAS file was opened to monitor the well-being of Janelle. |
| 6 |
Kitra - Referral to counselling |
Kitra was referred to counselling London Women’s Abused Centre. She said she was interested but never followed through. |
| 7 |
Janelle – Referral to counselling |
CAS offered a group counselling program for Janelle to address the impact of domestic abuse and child abuse. Kitra agreed to complete the forms. They are currently sitting on the top of her microwave. |
Consider What You Can Do to Help Kitra and Janelle?
Parent Factors:
- Foster the building of a trusting relationship with Kitra. Without this, it will be difficult to encourage her to try new things and not have her think you are “out to get her”
- Address the adverse childhood experiences related to trauma by encouraging Kitra to attend counselling
- Promote radical self-care
- Help Kitra to build authentic, meaningful friendship relationships.
- Provide information about child development
Child Factors:
- Encourage participation in group counselling for Janelle
- Encourage self-esteem programming
- Sign up for academic tutoring within the school
- Address recreational and activity-based needs for Janelle
Environmental Factors:
- Support Kitra in recognizing that her relationship was abusive
- Address financial needs due to Will moving out
- Identify housing and transportation issues
- Provide support to access resources needed for the family
Lack of Access to Supports:
- Encourage involvement in community recreation
- Access student tutoring outside of school
- Support Kitra in accessing counselling for her and her daughter
