In 1997, the Adoption and Safe Families Act was passed to specifically address the health and well-being of foster children. It set strict deadlines for children to be returned to their parents or terminate parental rights so the children could be adopted. In cases of chronic sexual and physical abuse, ASFA allowed states to forego family reunification efforts and proceed directly to terminating parental rights (Myers, 2006, p. 102). In summary, the many advances in child protection suggest a growing recognition of the special protections that children need and need. “From the colonial period until the 19th century, childhood was not considered a special phase of human development. For the most part, children were seen as more or less like adults, essentially miniature adults, inherently aggressive and sinful, and therefore prone to all manner of vices, including idleness. Therefore, they needed close supervision and harsh treatment so that they could grow up and lead industrious, upright, and godly lives” (Trattner, 1999, p. 110). Indeed, it was not until the theories of John Locke, Henry Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson emerged that these views changed, based on the notion that people are inherently pure and good (at least at birth ). The ideas of Charles Darwin introduced the notions of nature and nurture, and the work of Sigmund Freud further detailed the different psychologies of children (Trattner, 2006, pp. 110-112). The steady, if somewhat slow, progress of the child welfare movement has greatly benefited our society, but despite progress from the outdated views cited above, there is broad consensus that child welfare of children will always be a work in progress, which... .. middle of article......statistics suggest a problem of epidemic proportions - a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds, five Children die every day from child abuse, 80% of them are under the age of four, and 76% of child deaths are caused by the abuse of a parent or guardian (USDHHS, 2009). Additionally, as might be expected, poverty, illness, substance abuse, and other stressors within the home generally increase the risk of abuse (Goldman et al., 2003). Additionally, lack of social involvement can lead to the absence of a support system which deprives the parent of valuable coping mechanisms to manage stress. Other factors include family types that may increase vulnerability to maltreatment – ​​including single-parent families or families experiencing domestic violence, both of which reflect higher rates of child maltreatment than families without these problems ( Goldman et al.., 2003).