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It is difficult to classify protective services neatly as supportive, supplementary, or substitutive. Protective services are called upon in a variety of situations, characterized by a similar factor: neglect, abuse or exploitation of· a child. The protective service agency is organized around the nature of the problem and uses a wide variety of services-supportive, supplementary and substitutive-in trying to help the family deal with it. Initially, however, activity is directed toward maintaining the neglected or abused child in his own home. Consequently, protective services may be classified as among the services to children in their own home."
The Children's Division of the American Humane Association, the national body coordinating the work of protective agencies, defines protective service as a specialized child-welfare "service to neglected, abused, exploited or rejected children. The focus of the service is preventive and non punitive and is geared toward rehabilitation through identification and treatment of the motivating factors which underlie" the problem (DeFrancis, 1955).
Protective service is based on law and is supported by community standards. Its purpose is protection of children through strengthening the home or, failing that, making plans for their care and custody through the courts. It is a service on behalf of children undertaken by an agency upon receipt of information which indicates that parental responsibility toward those children is not being effectively met [Canadian Welfare Council, 1954].
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