Broken Three Times: A Story of Child Abuse in America

Broken Three Times is a story about child abuse in America. It begins with snapshots from a mother’s abusive childhood, then fast-forwards to her family’s first involvement with Connecticut protective services when her children are eleven and ten. After a brief investigation, the family’s case is closed, and despite their many needs, they are not provided links to any ongoing supportive services. Over the next five years we see the children pass through nearly twenty placements, while their mother continually relapses on crack and moves from one violent relationship to the next. Each chapter of the book provides a launching point for discussing state-of-the-art policy, practice, and scientific updates relevant for understanding risk, promoting resilience, and improving the child welfare system. This book will provide readers with some information about innovations and recent improvements in the system, concrete steps to take to enhance practice, ongoing gaps in our knowledge, and a deepening appreciation of the value of incorporating broad perspectives into this work–from neurobiology to social policy.