Informed not by statistics but by the poignant words of kupuna and the insights of social service providers, a new study concludes that efforts to deal with child abuse and neglect in Hawaii have been ineffective and use the wrong approaches.

"And How Are the Children?", a yearlong study conducted by a University of Hawaii social work associate professor and funded by the Honolulu nonprofit group Consuelo Foundation, says results are best achieved with community- and culturally based methods.

"It’s really tapping into the perspectives of kupuna, who have a lot of experience professionally and personally," as well as social service providers serving children and families, said Jon Matsuoka, president and chief executive officer of the Consuelo Foundation.

The study, released Feb. 24, has already spawned a collaboration between the Consuelo Foundation and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for an effort to prevent child abuse on Molokai.

"We are happy to begin a collaborative plan with Consuelo Foundation and support the research recommendations that are part of OHA’s Health Priorities to strengthen the family," said OHA Chairwoman Colette Machado.

Carol Plummer, a UH associate professor of social work, conducted the study using local organizations to gather data from 181 people in 18 focus groups in Hauula, Waianae, Kona and Hilo, and on Kauai, Lanai, Maui and Molokai.

The foundation collaborated with local child and family leaders who conducted the open forums that focused on listening.

Matsuoka explained that especially with the problem of child sex abuse, it is difficult to get people to talk openly, so it was important to develop a rapport with people before beginning to collect data.

Kupuna and social service agencies identified the following key issues that affect children and families: Economic challenges, worker burnout, unaddressed mental health and interpersonal violence, negative intergenerational patterns, long-term effects of historical trauma and loss, ongoing drug problems, and loss of hope that changes can bring on.

Ideas for new solutions surfaced. For example, instead of addressing child abuse and neglect with the traditional approaches of social services where the emphasis is solely on the individual to change, participants say get the whole extended family involved to have more eyes on the situation and bring people together to create a safety net for families.

"I think if we want to make a difference then we have to step up and we have to do it," a Waianae kupuna said. "We can’t wait for them to give us money to do it. If we see a need somewhere, with maybe just one child and we know somebody that can help them, then I think it’s our responsibility to find help."

The study recommends that solutions involve change on four levels: society, community, family/relationship and individual.

Kupuna openly shared how often the problems are multigenerational, but how there is hope.

"I used to be one abuser, too, before," a Maui kupuna said. "I used to be that person. So now I stay in recovery. I got married, started drinking, and did the same thing my dad did to my mom."

Participants cited problems with the system — one such example was from a Molokai service provider. "We had a child who was burned by a cigarette by his stepfather and so the grandma figured this out, walked into the local office and said, ‘My moopuna’s (grandchild) been burned by a cigarette.’ And was told, ‘We can’t help you. You need to call the 800 number.’ And she didn’t. She walked straight into the police department. … I’m sure there are children who’ve died because of the 800 number system. …"

The Consuelo Foundation was founded by the late Consuelo Zobel Alger, a longtime donor to social service programs in Hawaii. The foundation operates and supports programs in Hawaii and the Philippines that work to prevent and treat abuse, neglect and exploitation of children, women and families.

Matsuoka said that in Hawaii the Consuelo Foundation’s "target population is Native Hawaiian children and women, but ultimately it’s about prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect."