February 20, 2008
In Chapter 10 of Having Your Say, stating problems using ”A BUT B Statements” are discussed. A BUT B Statements are a way to describe a clash between what you want and what you have, for both personal and public issues. As the book states, “To have a true clash, you have to identify two different aspects of the situation that are directly involved with each other” (261). Below are two A BUT B Statements that address ”clashes” that I see within the child welfare system:
1. (A) Many citizens believe that child abuse and neglect is terrible and they would like for it to stop. BUT (B) Most people don’t want to “meddle” in other people’s business, and/or they don’t have the information they need about the signs of child abuse and the resources available, so many do not report it.
2. (A) If the many factors that lead to child abuse were dealt with early on (poverty issues, substance abuse, having been abused as a child, enormous family stress, etc.), it could decrease the likelihood of them ultimately resulting in child abuse. BUT (B) The programs that are most widely used and receive the most funding are designed from a crisis position that deals with problems after the damage has been done, rather than trying to help people before their problems escalate to abusing children.
