A comparative study of child maltreatment laws and protocols of Kansas and Paraguay

Abstract

In 1968, the State of Kansas and the country of Paraguay, the heart of America and the heart of South America, founded the organization Kansas Paraguay Partners, or KPP, as part of Partners of America or POA. Kansas and Paraguay were matched together due to similar characteristics portrayed in both places. Examples include: the sunflower as a state flower, the location, agriculture, cattle, a relatively flat surface, and so on. As a student, I have been able to benefit from this partnership by coming to Washburn University in Topeka under a KPP agreement where students qualify for in-state tuition in the state of Kansas. I was introduced to social work as a career to help improve the social functioning of others in the state of Kansas. As my passion for this profession has increased, so has my interest on how this education would impact my practice of social work in Paraguay, where I plan to live in the future. I am particularly drawn to the needs and rights of children and their families. In an attempt to better understand how these two places work to safeguard the lives of children and improve their conditions when necessary, I decided to compare the state of Kansas laws and protocols regarding child maltreatment to those of Paraguay. Both Kansas and Paraguay will be referred to as states because the government of Paraguay is referred to as The State in its legislature.