Abstract
Recurrent maltreatment of children previously discharged from child protective services is an indicator of how well the child welfare system is performing. Using administrative data from the California Social Services, this study examines trends in child protective case openings in California to identify patterns of service provision and factors associated with recidivism. Prior protective service case openings were found in nearly 50 percent of cases in 1993, representing a 55 percent increase from 1985 to 1993. Nearly two-thirds of cases investigated in 1993 by the Emergency Response component of California's child protective service system were discharged after the assessment process, despite frequent substantiation of maltreatment and previous case openings for maltreatment. Few children discharged from the system received medical or social services or referral to services. Repeated case openings may indicate that potentially vulnerable children are returned to high risk environments without sufficient services to reduce risk; that risks are overestimated; or that a growing number of children hover at a risk level that is just above the threshold for intervention. Recidivism may be reduced through improved risk assessment, provision of appropriate services targeted to children and families in need, and post-termination follow-up with families. The data for this study were obtained from the California Department of Social Services Information Services Bureau. The authors thank Neal Kaufman, M.D., M.P.H. for thoughtful comments and Connie Hudson and Carl Laya of the California Department of Social Services Information Services Bureau for their helpful review of this paper. This study was supported in part by the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health and Resources Development (MCJ-069500). The interpretations and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the data collection agency or the funding institutions.
Published Version
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