Child maltreatment investigations: Comparing children, families, and reasons for referral in three European countries

Abstract

BackgroundAlmost all countries have developed measures to ensure that children do not suffer from violence in their families. However, the legal framework, definitions of maltreatment, and institutional structures differ. Whereas in other areas of social policy comparative research is very common, child protection research falls behind. Research questionsThe article examines the differences between cases referred to local child and youth welfare authorities due to concerns about abuse or neglect in Germany, England and the Netherlands, comparing the characteristics of the child, the family, the person reporting the suspected maltreatment, and the type of maltreatment. Method1207 case files on children investigated due to suspected child maltreatment from the Netherlands, England, and Germany were analyzed using a standardized coding scheme. ResultsThe family backgrounds of the children reported differed substantially, with more lone parents in England and more children living in two households in the Netherlands. The persons and institutions reporting their concerns to the local child and youth welfare authorities also differed, with more reports from children and family members in Germany and more from health services in England. In England, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation were more frequently the reason for referral than in the Netherlands and Germany. DiscussionDifferences between countries can partially be explained based on differences in policies and relations of other systems to the child protection system.