Child Maltreatment In Canada Research Articles

13 Child maltreatment in Canada in the time of COVID-19: Experiences of child protection teams

Abstract Background At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many fears regarding the effect on children’s wellbeing – specifically with regards to increased exposure to violence and potential for abuse and neglect within their homes. Early experiences of child protect teams (CPT) in the literature from one Canadian tertiary care center revealed a number of adaptations in their child abuse programs such as a move toward virtual assessments. Objectives Our descriptive study seeks to understand the perspectives, practices, and experiences of child protection teams in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic with regards to: clinical practice, interactions with child welfare organizations and the justice system, team modes of operating and medical education. These lessons can be applied to child maltreatment and neglect clinical practice in the event of future pandemics, natural disasters, and to provide care to rural areas of Canada. Design/Methods Using a web-based, bilingual, mixed methods survey, we asked both quantitative and open-ended qualitative questions to members of CPTs across Canada. Thematic analysis was completed on qualitative responses. We received a total of 11 responses. Results Respondents unanimously reported a decrease in referrals during the COVID-19 pandemic. 64% endorsed the use of new virtual tools. Virtual tools were used to collaborate amongst members of the CPT as well as with external partners (such as child welfare and justice system). Interestingly, there was minimal adaptation of these tools in patient-facing contexts. 57% of respondents foresee these tools to continue being used in a post-COVID-19 context, and 71% see relevance of these tools for use in rural contexts. Respondents reported that virtual clinical discussions changed the way medical education and case discussion in child maltreatment was delivered. Conclusion These findings describe not only the adaptation of child protection teams to the pandemic, but also robust changes to clinical practice, interactions with partner organizations and the justice system, team modes of operating and medical education in child maltreatment and neglect in Canada.

Testing for seasonality in Canadian child welfare investigations

The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) derives annual estimates of child maltreatment (CM) based on cases of CM reported to child welfare agencies in the fourth quarter (October, November, December) of the year the CIS is conducted. The present study investigates seasonal patterns of CM investigations and examines potential biases in CIS estimates that result from annual estimates based on quarter 4 (Q4) data.Seasonal patterns by quarter are examined based on child welfare administrative records, from six Canadian provinces/territories for 11 years (2005–2015). CIS estimation procedures are applied to this administrative data to assess potential biases in deriving annual estimates based on Q4. Based on the administrative data, there was evidence of a statistically significant seasonal effect by quarter with relatively fewer cases being observed in Q3 (July, August, September). Using CIS estimation procedures, annual estimates derived from Q4 administrative data indicated a tendency for sexual abuse and neglect investigations to be underestimated, and physical abuse and emotional maltreatment investigations to be overestimated. The CIS has been and will continue to be used by researchers and policy makers to establish the need for and evaluate the success of programs designed to prevent CM in Canada. However, methodological improvements would further enhance the capability of the CIS to derive accurate annual estimates of specific types of CM among Canadian children.

Caregiver Vulnerabilities Associated With the Perpetration of Substantiated Child Maltreatment in Canada: Examining the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) 2008.

Most of the research on caregiver vulnerabilities associated with the perpetration of child maltreatment (CM) focuses on perpetrators of child physical or sexual abuse. Less is known about the association of specific caregiver vulnerabilities and the risk of other CM types or how these vulnerabilities are related to child harm. The aim of the study was to examine the association of caregiver's vulnerabilities with types of substantiated CM and child physical and mental/emotional harm as a result of maltreatment. Data were from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect collected in 2008 (CIS-2008). The CIS-2008 consisted of investigations of children aged 15 years and younger from 112 child welfare sites across Canada (N = 15,980). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to examine relationships between caregiver vulnerabilities and outcomes of interest. Caregiver vulnerabilities were prevalent among cases of CM substantiated by child welfare agencies across Canada. Low social support, domestic violence, mental health issues, and substance abuse problems were noted among a substantial proportion of abusive caregivers. Caregiver cognitive impairments and domestic violence perpetration were associated with increased odds of child physical harm, but only among children aged 0 to 4 years. Most individual types of caregiver vulnerabilities were associated with increased odds of child mental or emotional harm across all child age groups. Insight into caregiver vulnerabilities associated with the perpetration of CM may help inform intervention targets prior to a family's involvement in the child welfare system.

Issue 1: Explaining the Economic Disparity Gap in the Rate of Substantiated Child Maltreatment in Canada

Issue 1: Explaining the Economic Disparity Gap in the Rate of Substantiated Child Maltreatment in Canada

Child maltreatment in Canada, 2013

Child maltreatment in Canada, 2013

Responding to child maltreatment in Canada: Context for international comparisons

The purpose of this paper is to both describe the major fi ndings from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, 2008 (CIS-2008), and to compare these fi ndings to data reported by Gilbert et al. (2011), who derived their estimates from the US National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. The CIS-2008 tracked 15,980 maltreatment-related investigations of children under the age of 16 conducted in a representative sample of 112 child welfare organizations across Canada in the fall of 2008. Bivariate analyses were used to explore the differences in service dispositions, age, and referral sources by primary maltreatment category and risk. The Canadian/US comparison reveals that rates of investigated maltreatment are nearly identical. Rates of substantiated maltreatment are also comparable, although slightly higher in Canada when substantiated risk of maltreatment is included in the substantiation category. The variation in substantiation and service response rates across types of investigated maltreatment requires closer analysis and highlights the need for a detailed understanding of each type of maltreatment. The rapid expansion of reports over the last decade in Canada invites discussion of the extent to which a response focused exclusively on child protection is appropriate for all cases and optimal for addressing a broad array of needs. The complexity of comparing rates between Canada and the United States requires an understanding of both substantiation rates and thresholds.

Responding to child maltreatment in Canada: Context for International Comparisons

Responding to child maltreatment in Canada: Context for International Comparisons

Head injury secondary to suspected child maltreatment: Results of a prospective Canadian national surveillance program

Objective We sought to determine the incidence, clinical features, and demographic profile of head injury secondary to suspected child maltreatment (abuse or neglect) in Canada to help inform the development and evaluation of prevention programs for abusive head injuries. Methods From March 1, 2005 to February 28, 2008, an average of 2,545 paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists were surveyed monthly through the established network of the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program. We calculated incidence rates using the number of confirmed cases over the product of the duration of the study (3 years) and population estimates by age group. Results There were 220 confirmed cases of head injury from suspected child maltreatment. The annual incidence rate was 14.1 per 100,000 for children less than 1 year of age and 1.4 per 100,000 for those less than 15 years. Seventy three percent (141) of cases involved infants less than 12 months of age and 52% (100) of cases involved infants less than 6 months of age. Seventy-five percent (165) of cases presented to the emergency room. With regard to outcome, 12% (27) of cases resulted in death and 45% (75) of survivors had neurological sequelae at discharge. Thirty percent (67) of all cases, as well as 30% (8) of deaths were previously known to child welfare authorities. Conclusion This study provides an estimate of the rate of head injury secondary to suspected child maltreatment in Canada. The young age and poor medical outcomes of those involved highlights the need for prevention efforts that are implemented early in life. Given that a significant percentage of injured infants and children were already known to child welfare authorities, the study also highlights the need to establish and evaluate additional preventive efforts for parents and caregivers already in the child welfare system.

Child Maltreatment in Canada: An Understudied Public Health Problem

Child maltreatment is a major public health problem associated with impairment in childhood, adolescence, and extending throughout the lifespan. Within Canada, high-quality child maltreatment studies have been conducted and are critical for informing prevention and intervention efforts. However, compared to other parts of the world (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Mexico), the number of studies conducted in Canada is far fewer and the data used to study this important public health problem are less diverse. Importantly, to date, representative data on child maltreatment from the general population at the national level in Canada do not exist. This means that many questions regarding child maltreatment in Canada remain unanswered. To advance our understanding of child maltreatment in Canada and to make significant strides towards protecting Canadian children and families, research using Canadian data is essential. To begin to meet these important public health goals, we need to invest in collecting high-quality, nationally representative Canadian data on child maltreatment. Solutions for the barriers and challenges for the inclusion of child maltreatment data into nationally representative Canadian surveys are provided.

Parental cognitive impairment and child maltreatment in Canada

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of parental cognitive impairment in cases opened for child maltreatment investigation in Canada, and to examine the relationship between parental cognitive impairment and maltreatment investigation outcomes including substantiation, case disposition and court application. Methods The method was secondary analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2003) core-data, which is derived from a multi-stage stratified cluster sample of 11,562 child maltreatment investigations. Results Parental cognitive impairment was noted in 10.1% of sampled cases that were opened for child maltreatment investigation in 2003, and in 27.3% of sampled cases that resulted in child welfare court application. Neglect was the most common cause of concern. With child and case characteristics held constant, parental cognitive impairment predicted investigation outcomes. The data further suggest that the relationship between parental cognitive impairment and investigation outcomes was partially mediated by perceived parent non-cooperation, mental health issues and low social support. Conclusions The number of children who are living with a parent with cognitive impairment and who are referred for protective services is thought to be increasing. Building systems capacity to support parents with cognitive impairment and promote child wellbeing is therefore essential to containing the human and economic costs of maltreatment and out-of-home care. Practice implications A broad-spectrum approach is needed to support parents with cognitive impairment and their children. Equipping services with the knowledge, skills, and mandate they need to deliver evidence-based parent training is vital. However, strategies are also needed to tackle discrimination, alleviate family poverty, strengthen the social ties of parents with cognitive impairment and in turn, improve the life chances of their children.

The role of public health in addressing child maltreatment in Canada

Child maltreatment is a significant health and social issue given its prevalence across the general population and the significant short- and long-term outcomes associated with maltreatment in childhood. There is a need for a comprehensive, collaborative and multisectoral approach for identification, prevention and intervention of this complex issue. Within this multisectoral collaboration, it is essential for public health in Canada to define its role in addressing and preventing child maltreatment. This commentary summarizes how public health can address the issue of child maltreatment in Canada by specifically: 1) measuring the magnitude of maltreatment through public health surveillance systems such as the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect; 2) identifying modifiable risk factors; 3) identifying and evaluating community-based interventions to prevent violence; and 4) implementing evidence-based primary prevention strategies.

The Extent and Nature of Head Injury Secondary to Child Maltreatment in Canada: a 3 Year Surveillance Study

The Extent and Nature of Head Injury Secondary to Child Maltreatment in Canada: a 3 Year Surveillance Study

Development of a Policy‐Relevant Child Maltreatment Research Strategy

Child maltreatment is associated with a huge burden of suffering, yet there are serious gaps in knowledge about its epidemiology and approaches to intervention. This article describes the development of a proposed national research framework in child maltreatment, as requested by the Department of Justice, Canada, based on (1) a review of the literature, (2) consultation with experts, and (3) application of evaluation criteria for considering research priorities. The article identifies gaps in knowledge about child maltreatment in Canada and proposes a research agenda to make evidence-based policy decisions more likely. Although this work was driven by gaps in Canada's knowledge about child maltreatment, the international scope of the review and consultation process could make the findings useful to broader research and policy audiences.

The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect: Implications for Federal Responses to Child Maltreatment

In Canada, provinces and territories directly deliver services related to child maltreatment, but various federal departments share responsibility for responding in other ways. The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) is one of the Public Health Agency's contributions. This paper presents an overview of its key findings, and points to some implications for program and policy development. CIS data suggest that neglect is the most common type of child maltreatment in Canada, followed by physical abuse, emotional maltreatment and sexual abuse. Because CIS data suggest that parents and other adult relatives are most often the perpetrators of child maltreatment, and that the maltreatment rarely results in severe physical harm, federal support of parenting education programs may be a useful response to the problem of child maltreatment.

Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect: Methodology

This article describes the methodology of the first Canada-wide study of the incidence and characteristics of reported child abuse and neglect. Child welfare investigators from a random sample of 51 child welfare service areas completed a three-page survey form describing the results of 7,672 child maltreatment reports received during the months of October to December 1998. The study documented a 90% participation rate and a 95% item completion rate. An estimated 135,571 child maltreatment investigations were completed, a rate of 21.52 investigated children per 1,000 children in Canada in 1998. The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect is a rich database that will provide researchers with important contextual information on reported child maltreatment in Canada and a comprehensive source of information on factors associated with key service decisions made by child welfare investigators.