Child Welfare Workers' Training, Knowledge, and Practice Concerns Regarding Child Maltreatment Fatalities: An Exploratory, Multi-State Analysis

Abstract

Research has rarely focused on child welfare professionals as agents of prevention for maltreatment fatalities. This study presents results on 426 child welfare workers' training, knowledge, and practice concerns regarding fatalities. Workers' knowledge of risk varied and revealed deficits in knowledge of parent and household risk factors. Receipt of training had a minor impact on knowledge. More than 25% of workers reported that a parent had disclosed potential intent to kill his/her child. Workers worried that a child will die on their caseloads; they reported assessing for risk, but wanting additional training. Implications are discussed for both research and practice communities.