Abstract
Objective: Countermeasures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic produced an environment that placed some children at increased risk of maltreatment at the same time as there were decreased opportunities for identifying and reporting abuse. Unfortunately, coordinated government responses to address child protection since the start of the pandemic have been limited in Canada. As an exploratory study to examine the potential academic evidence base and location of expertise that could have been used to inform COVID-19 pandemic response, we undertook a review of child maltreatment research across three prominent Canadian professional journals in social work, medicine and public health. Methods: We conducted a pre-pandemic, thirteen-year (2006–2019) archival analysis of all articles published in the Canadian Social Work Review (CSWR), the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH) and identified the research articles that related directly to child maltreatment, child protection or the child welfare system in Canada. Results: Of 11,824 articles published across the three journals, 20 research papers relating to child maltreatment, child protection or the child welfare system were identified (CJPH = 7; CMAJ = 3; CSWR = 10). There was no obvious pattern in article topics by discipline. Discussion: Taking these three prominent professional journals as a portal into research in these disciplines, we highlight the potential low volume of academic child maltreatment research despite the importance of the topic and irrespective of discipline. We believe that urgent transdisciplinary collaboration and overall awareness raising for child protection is called for at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as beyond in Canada.
Highlights
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent public health countermeasures were implemented worldwide, including closures of schools and workplaces, the suspension of non-essential public services, stay at home measures and mandated physical distancing.Families have faced increasing financial and social pressures, dramatic changes to daily life, increased social isolation and decreased availability of some health and social services [1].In this context, alarm bells have been ringing across the globe warning of potential increases in child abuse and maltreatment [2]
Of 11,824 articles published across the three journals, 20 research papers relating to child maltreatment, child protection or the child welfare system were identified (CJPH = 7; Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) = 3; Canadian Social Work Review (CSWR) = 10)
The titles of all articles published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH), the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and the Canadian Social Work Review (CSWR) between January 2006 and December 2019 were screened for relevance to children, child health, the child welfare system, parents and/or families
Summary
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent public health countermeasures were implemented worldwide, including closures of schools and workplaces, the suspension of non-essential public services, stay at home measures and mandated physical distancing.Families have faced increasing financial and social pressures, dramatic changes to daily life, increased social isolation and decreased availability of some health and social services [1].In this context, alarm bells have been ringing across the globe warning of potential increases in child abuse and maltreatment [2]. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent public health countermeasures were implemented worldwide, including closures of schools and workplaces, the suspension of non-essential public services, stay at home measures and mandated physical distancing. Families have faced increasing financial and social pressures, dramatic changes to daily life, increased social isolation and decreased availability of some health and social services [1]. In this context, alarm bells have been ringing across the globe warning of potential increases in child abuse and maltreatment [2]. Mandatory lockdowns and mandated physical distancing have meant children at risk of maltreatment have been isolated with increasingly stressed and potentially abusive parents [1].
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