An evaluation of the comprehensive child protection support services in South Korea: Focusing on preventing maltreatment recurrence and improving safety

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the comprehensive child protection support services (CCPSS) in South Korea. Data were collected through a survey of children and parents receiving child protection services in four treatment and six comparison child protection agencies, over an 18-month period. We used the difference-in-difference method to examine the effectiveness of CCPSS while controlling for both observed and unobserved characteristics of the treatment and comparison groups. We focused on two primary outcomes of the program: (1) maltreatment recurrence rate and (2) probability of being at high risk of child maltreatment. The results showed a decrease of 4.4 percent points in the child maltreatment recurrence rate of the treatment group, compared to the comparison group at the end of CCPSS implementation. We also found positive effects of the program on reducing the risk of further maltreatment among maltreated children. Policy implications and limitations of the study are also discussed.