Protective Factors

Protective factors are vital in alleviating the possible effects of early childhood abuse and
neglect. One of the main protective factors that can potentially mitigate adverse effects following
early childhood abuse and neglect is self-regulatory skills, which entails the ability to control
emotions and other cognitive thought processes. Children who can control their emotions are at
less risk of developing mental health problems (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2015).
Therefore, self-regulatory skills help children, especially victims of abuse and neglect, reduce
stress and anxiety.
As a practitioner who works with children, understanding protective factors is essential
for numerous reasons. One of the major reasons is that practitioners can guide parents to develop
parenting competencies that assist in meeting the needs of their children, especially victims of
abuse and neglect (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2015). Additionally, understanding
protective factors is crucial for practitioners because it helps them develop better strategies to
promote certain skills in children, improving their well-being and guaranteeing positive
outcomes.
The resource I have chosen is the one that talks about the promotion of protective factors
for children exposed to domestic violence. Notably, I have chosen the resource because it vividly
explains the role of parents and guardians in promoting the well-being of children who are
victims of domestic violence (Development Services Group, Inc., & Child Welfare Information
Gateway, 2015). The resource also talks about the strategies practitioners should employ to help
such children. One of the advocacy practices that I can implement based on the resource is
campaign programs that create awareness of child abuse and neglect. The campaign programs

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would help educate parents and children on the best way to deal with the issues they face at
home.

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References

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2015, September). Promoting protective factors for
victims of child abuse and neglect: A guide for practitioners.
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/victimscan.pdf
Development Services Group, Inc., & Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2015). Promoting
protective factors for children exposed to domestic violence: A guide for practitioners.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on
Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau.