Child Protection Investigation Research Articles

Child Protection Investigations in Scotland: A 33 Per Cent Increase in Two Years

The Scottish government plans a more preventive and partnership‐oriented approach to child protection. However, it has not recently published statistics on the number of child protection investigations. This paper analyses data from a request for information from government. It shows a rate of 153 investigations per 10 000 children aged 0–17 in 2017/18. There were wide variations in rates of investigations across Scottish local authorities. Almost three‐quarters of investigations in 2017/18 did not lead to the child being placed on the child protection register. A small association between investigation rates and local authority deprivation suggests that factors other than deprivation at the local authority level are at play in decisions to investigate child protection. There has been an increase of investigations by one‐third in the last two years with no change in the numbers starting a child protection plan. These trends raise the possibility that concerns about the preventive approach net‐widening and leading to more rather than less children drawn into the formal child protection system may have some basis. The limited nature of published statistical data in Scotland means that policies and activities, which are carried out with large amounts of public funding, receive limited public scrutiny.Key Practitioner Messages One investigation was conducted for every 65 children in Scotland in 2017/18. One child in 23 was investigated before the age of four. Rates of investigation vary widely between local authorities. One in four investigations are likely to lead to a child protection registration. There was a 33 per cent increase in investigations in the most recent two years with no change in child protection registrations. Investigations harm families and lessen the chances of engaging them with support. ‘The limited nature of published statistical data in Scotland means that policies and activities, which are carried out with large amounts of public funding, receive limited public scrutiny’

Child protection investigations of child custody cases in Norway: caseworkers’ obstacles and coping strategies

ABSTRACT In Norway, Child Protection Services (CPS) is responsible for investigating concerns about children at risk of being harmed by their parents’ conflicts. This study focuses on caseworkers’ experiences of investigating cases involving long-lasting custody disputes between parents, and presents the findings of qualitative research engaging 31 CPS caseworkers. CPS is required to investigate cases involving parental conflicts, and the findings show that caseworkers consider custody disputes to be harmful to children. Many of these families have had limited experience with public services before the marriage breakdown, and parents give contradicting stories about their situation to caseworkers. Consequently, caseworkers are pushed to position children as key informants, which violates the child participation principles set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These children are, moreover, described as loyal to their parents, and often refuse to participate. The data analysis draws on Lipsky’s concept of ‘street-level bureaucracy’ to shed light on how caseworkers manage conflicting goals and demands when conducting investigations. The findings suggest that a system needs to be developed to provide caseworkers with resources and knowledge to help them investigate and to work with these complex family situations in a better way.

Investigations involving urgent protection concerns vs. chronic needs: are there differences in post-investigation service decisions?

ABSTRACT Previous research has proposed an urgent-chronic taxonomy of maltreatment investigations to better understand how child welfare services across Canada operationalized the dual mandate of child safety and well-being. Data from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS-2013a) were used to examine post investigation service decisions using this taxonomy. Logistic regression and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID, a non-parametric classification tree) assessed the characteristics associated with the decision to provide ongoing child welfare services for investigations involving urgent vs. chronic concerns. Of an estimated 123,162 child protection investigations, approximately 11% were considered urgent and the other 89% involved chronic need. A quarter of investigations were transferred to ongoing services for both groups, and an assessment that there was future risk of maltreatment and caregiver mental health issues were significant and substantial factors, along with economic hardship and housing problems. Uniformity in the investigative response suggests that the decision to provide more intensive child welfare services is based more on the circumstances of the family than the nature of the primary protection concern. Since child protection investigations are oriented toward addressing urgent maltreatment, greater precision about the purpose of child welfare involvement in Ontario is needed.

Child maltreatment investigations and substantiations in child protection services: Factors distinguishing children with intellectual disabilities

BackgroundChildren with intellectual disabilities (ID) are more vulnerable to maltreatment than children without ID. Few studies focused on understanding the experiences of maltreatment of children with ID, limiting our capacity to adequately care for them. ObjectiveThis study examined the types of maltreatment with which ID is associated among child protection investigations, and identified the individual, environmental, and service-related factors distinguishing children with ID from those without, among children with substantiated maltreatment. MethodsSecondary data from an incidence study on investigated child maltreatment including 2053 children aged 6–17 years old were analyzed through univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. ID was present for 5.7% (n = 117) of the children. ResultsID was associated with increased odds of being investigated for neglect and decreased odds of being investigated or substantiated for psychological maltreatment. The factors that most distinguished children with ID from other children were physical disabilities (8.45, p < 0.001) and autism spectrum disorder (11.33, p < 0.001) in the child and having at least one parent with ID (16.21, p < 0.001). Two other environmental factors, including having been reported by a professional (2.13, p = 0.047), distinguished children with ID from the other children. ConclusionsChildren with ID who experienced maltreatment present with greater adversity than children without ID. Professionals play a preponderant role in reporting situations of maltreatment for children with ID and need additional training to properly respond to maltreatment of children with ID.

Feasibility and promise of community providers implementing home-based parent-child interaction therapy for families investigated for child abuse: A pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDespite evidence supporting Parent-Child Interaction Therapy’s (PCIT) effectiveness for maltreatment prevention, its integration in child welfare services (CWS) has been challenging. ObjectiveUsing a pilot randomized controlled trial design, we evaluated the (1) feasibility of training therapists from CWS providers to implement home-based PCIT (2) feasibility of retaining parent-child dyads at-risk for child abuse in voluntary PCIT services, and (3) promise of PCIT for improving parenting skills. Participants and settingBetween 2015–2017, 23 therapists from CWS providers and 55 caregiver-child dyads who were determined to be at moderate-to-high risk for physical and/or emotional abuse, remained in the same home, and were referred for voluntary parenting services following a child protective investigation participated. MethodsWe trained 14 therapists in home-based PCIT and randomly assigned participating dyads to receive PCIT or services as usual (SAU). Dyads completed baseline and post-treatment assessments, including self-reported and observed parenting skills. ResultsAll therapists successfully completed the PCIT training; none completed full certification requirements. Of all randomized dyads, 51 % completed at least one treatment session, and the mean number of treatment sessions was 10.83. Caregivers assigned to PCIT used more self-reported (d = .72) and observed (d = .59) positive parenting skills post-treatment than caregivers assigned to SAU. Negative, inconsistent, and punitive parenting strategies and parenting stress did not significantly differ between caregivers assigned to PCIT and SAU. ConclusionsDespite several challenges to feasibly implementing PCIT in community-based child welfare settings, even a small dose of PCIT improved positive parenting skills among at-risk parent-child dyads.

The Take-off for Private Consultants in Child Protection Investigations—How Did Sweden Get Here?

Abstract The use of private consultants in child protection investigations in Sweden is an evolving practice that occurs under the radar; it is not in the political agenda and it is obscure in relation to legislation. The aim of this article is to analyse the contextual forces, facilitators and intentions behind the ongoing implementation of privatisation in child protection investigations. For this article, both quantitative and qualitative data for the years 2013–2017 were obtained through a telephone questionnaire. Managers of 32 social services departments were interviewed. Statistical data of the year 2018 collected by the National Board of Health and Welfare was also included in the analysis. Applying a mixed-method design, the article shows that some prerequisites in legislation make it possible for privatisation to develop. There are societal changes that act as contextual forces, and there are structures in place from earlier stages of the development of privatisation that facilitate the new practice. Also, there are professional intentions that drive the process. The implementation of private consultants in child protection takes place during a period of high workload for social services. The article concludes with a discussion about the consequences for children and families of this new trend in privatisation.

Sociological Factors of Juvenile Delinquency Makassar City, Indonesia

The factors that influence delinquency in adolescents are sociological factors, psychological factors, and biological factors. Sociological factors include family background, the community where adolescents are, and the school environment. This study used a qualitative method with a case study design. The number of informants was 10 people consisting of delinquency teenagers, parents of delinquency teenagers, women, and child protection investigators, and clinical psychologists at the integrated service post for women and children protection. Data collection was carried out through in-depth interviews. Data analysis was performed by source triangulation. The results showed that economic difficulties made parents have to work more. Teens have a playgroup that influences them. Problems that arise from the school environment make children not want to go back to school. This study recommends the importance of the role of parents, government officials, and schools in giving attention and guidance to adolescents in order not to act wrong, both moral guidance and religious guidance.

Can TEN4 distinguish bruises from abuse, inherited bleeding disorders or accidents?

ObjectiveDoes TEN4 categorisation of bruises to the torso, ear or neck or any bruise in <4-month-old children differentiate between abuse, accidents or inherited bleeding disorders (IBDs)?DesignProspective comparative longitudinal study.SettingCommunity.PatientsChildren <6...

The Causal Impact of Removing Children from Abusive and Neglectful Homes

This paper measures impacts of removing children from families investigated for abuse or neglect. We use removal tendencies of child protection investigators as an instrument. We focus on young children investigated before age 6 and find that removal significantly increases test scores and reduces grade repetition for girls. There are no detectable impacts for boys. This pattern of results does not appear to be driven by heterogeneity in pre-removal characteristics, foster placements, or the type of schools attended after removal. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that development of abused and neglected girls is more responsive to home removal.

Major findings from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2018

BackgroundThe Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS) is the only source of province-wide statistics on families investigated by child welfare. ObjectiveThis paper presents key findings from the 2018 cycle of the OIS (OIS-2018) and highlights select policy and practice implications of these findings. Participants and SettingsThe OIS-2018 captured information directly from investigating child protection workers about children and families who were the subject of a child protection investigation sampled for inclusion in the study. MethodsThe OIS-2018 sample was drawn in three stages: first, a representative sample of child welfare agencies in Ontario was selected, then cases were sampled over a three-month period within selected agencies, and, finally, investigations that met the study criteria were identified from the sampled cases. The data collected for the OIS-2018 were weighted in order to derive provincial, annual incidence estimates. ResultsAn estimated 158,476 child maltreatment-related investigations were conducted in Ontario in 2018. In the majority of investigations, there was no documented physical or emotional harm to the child. The overall incidence of investigations remains unchanged between 2008 and 2018. The only statistically significant difference during this time period is an increase in risk investigations between 2013 and 2018. ConclusionsData from the OIS gives Ontario child welfare policymakers and practitioners an empirical basis for making evidence-informed decisions. Findings are compared to the United States and Australia.

Child Protection Managers’ Views on Frameworks for Assessment of Children in Need

ABSTRACT Internationally there has been a movement to reform investigative work in child welfare and protection systems. These reforms have aimed to introduce national frameworks that systematize the way assessments are carried out. Several reports have identified shortcomings in the way that child protection investigations are carried out in Norway. Consequently, there is a need for improvement. However, an attempt to change practice within an organization has little hope of succeeding unless the organization implementing the new practice accepts that a change in practice is needed. The aim of this study was to examine child protection agency managers’ views on the advantages and disadvantages related to implementation of an assessment framework in Norway. Electronic survey questionnaires were distributed to the managers of all Norwegian child protection services. The response rate was 68% (N = 217). The majority agreed that the use of an assessment framework is helpful in child welfare and protection services investigations in general, and helpful in terms of facilitating child and family participation. This study indicates that some prerequisites would need to be present for successful implementation of an assessment framework: training, supervision and ongoing support, and sufficient resources.

Participation of Children Involved in the Child Protection System \u2013 Validation of the Meaningful Participation Assessment Tool (MPAT)

Children have the right to participate in child protection investigations. Although research suggests that participation is related to positive outcomes of children in the child protection system, children’s participation is not always facilitated in practice. Therefore, it is important to validate tools that can be used to further investigate children’s participation. We examined the psychometric properties (i.e., reliability, internal validity, and external validity) of the Meaningful Participation Assessment Tool (MPAT), which measures the degree in which child protection professionals enable children’s participation in child protection investigations. The MPAT is based on the Model of Meaningful Participation (Bouma et al. 2018) and distinguishes three domains of children’s participation in child protection: 1) informing, 2) hearing, and 3) involving in decision-making. It consists of 13 items. We validated the MPAT based on data from 292 child protection cases. We concluded that the MPAT was reliable, internally valid and externally valid. The MPAT’s reliability was reflected by substantial Cohen’s Kappa coefficients ranging from .63 to .92. The Mokken scale analysis revealed a strong scale of 8 items (H = .70, Rho = .89). Items on seeing and hearing children about child protection topics seemed relatively more easy to achieve compared to items on providing children with information, which suggests that child protection workers may struggle most with informing children. Lastly, we concluded that the MPAT might be externally valid because we found higher MPAT scores for subgroups based on child protection institution, age, and gender, which was in line with our expectations.

How a training team delivers simulation training of child protection investigators

This article presents results of a qualitative study regarding how a training team delivers simulation training for child protection investigators. Since 2016, a team from the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) has collaborated with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to implement the Child Protection Training Academy (CPTA) that provides full-scale simulations has been implemented for training all new child protection investigators. Using key informant interviews and focus groups, we explored how the training team, including the simulation trainer, the standardized patients playing the role of the family in a mock family house, and the professionals playing roles in a mock courtroom, collaborate to shape the simulation training. The qualitative data point to the central role of the trainer’s blend of skills, the dedication of the standardized patients staying in character, the interest of role-playing professionals in correcting misconceptions about court, and the teamwork involved in implementing simulation training.

Are They Really Neglected? A Look at Worker Perceptions of Neglect Through the Eyes of a National Data System

A follow up to a two-year study of abuse and neglect of American Indian children looks at differences in perceptions of neglect of American Indian children found in the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Findings from an analysis of 17,000 cases of neglect of white or American Indian children were that the neglect of American Indian children, compared to Caucasian children, was more often associated with foster care placement, juvenile court petition, alcohol abuse of child or caretaker, violence in the family, and family receipt of public assistance. The neglect of Caucasian children, when compared to American children, was more often associated with family preservation services, child or adult mental or physical problem, and inadequate housing. These data, from the 1995-1999 NCANDS, appear to confirm stereotypical assignations of neglect to American Indian families. This study supports the need for the direct participation of sovereign Indian nations in child protective investigation, treatment, and data collection, in order to create a more complete data system that will provide accurate numbers and characteristics of abused and neglected American Indian children.

Intergenerational Continuity in Child Maltreatment: Explicating Underlying Mechanisms.

The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother's history of childhood physical and sexual abuse on her child's officially reported victimization. This prospective, longitudinal study followed a community-based sample of 499 mothers and their children. Mothers (35% White/non-Latina, 34% Black/non-Latina, 23% Latina, and 7% other) were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy, and child protective services records were reviewed for the presence of the participants' target child between birth and age 3.5. Whereas both types of maternal maltreatment history doubled the child's risk of child protective services investigation, mothers' sexual abuse history conferred significantly greater risk. Pathways to child victimization varied by type of maternal maltreatment history. Mothers who had been physically abused later demonstrated interpersonal aggressive response biases, which mediated the path to child victimization. In contrast, the association between maternal history of sexual abuse and child victimization was mediated by mothers' substance use problems. Study implications center on targeting child maltreatment prevention efforts according to the mother's history and current problems.

Gatekeeping by Allegations: An Examination of Verified, Unfounded, and Fabricated Allegations of Child Maltreatment Within the Context of Resist and Refusal Dynamics

Allegations of child maltreatment and neglect, including child sexual abuse, in the context of child custody disputes pose particular challenges for child protection services, family law professionals and the courts to identify children at risk of harm, as well as children impacted and exposed to other risk factors. Accurately identifying child maltreatment requires assessing the background, the history and the context of the allegations in order to differentiate confirmed, unfounded, and fabricated allegations. The paper provides a review of the history and current understanding of allegations within the context of child custody disputes by considering the connections of fabricated allegations to the theory of alienation and the role of gatekeeping. The paper then examines the social science literature regarding allegations within child protection investigations (the prevalence, types of maltreatment, reporter of allegations, and case outcomes) and explores the factors that have contributed to the challenges faced by child protection services to investigate and make determinations regarding allegations within the context of child custody disputes. We argue for early assessment protocols for child protection services to screen child custody cases, to differentiate allegations of alienation from other types of harm, to enhance role clarity in these volatile situations, to refrain from “taking sides” and to work collaboratively with the family law community. Lastly, we offer legal implications to improve collaboration between child protection services and the family law field to better respond to these complex cases.

Police perceptions of training in interviewing youth with ADHD

ABSTRACT One hundred and two Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) detectives were recruited to answer questions about their perceived knowledge and skill, as well as training accessibility and development needs, regarding the interviewing of youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Results indicate that CPIU detectives rated themselves as having a moderate ability to recognize ADHD in interviewees and only a moderate awareness of how ADHD may impact the interviewing process but reported an average confidence in their ability to conduct a modified cognitive interview with ADHD-affected youth. CPIU detectives reported a below-average satisfaction with prior training provided to equip them in this area as well as below average confidence in their ability to access any possible existing training in this area. Detectives also report a moderately high desire for a new training program focused on interviewing youth with ADHD, with a preference for training that involves online learning, followed closely by workshops and role plays. Implications are discussed in terms of the need for future research which focusses on the development of a specialised training program for CPIU detectives interviewing youth with ADHD.

A police-led community response to Child abuse and Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse in Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland: “Speak Up. Be strong. Be Heard.”

BackgroundChild abuse and Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse (YSVA) are persistent social issues across the globe. The development and implementation of effective prevention strategies are a common focus for those working at the coalface. The Cairns Child Protection Investigation Unit of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) developed and implemented the “Speak Up. Be Strong. Be Heard.” (SUBSBH) initiative. This police-led multi-component child abuse prevention initiative has been implemented in 26 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the Far North Queensland Police District since June 2016. ObjectiveThe aim of this research was to evaluate the success of the SUBSBH initiative. Participants and settingExisting data held by QPS were examined. These data include statistics on reporting of YSVA offences, internal program documents and reports, and evaluation feedback forms completed prior to this evaluation study. Information collected via these sources pertained to 26 Indigenous communities within the Far North Queensland Police District. The above-mentioned feedback forms were completed by 307 participants, of whom approximately 90% are Indigenous. MethodsThis study adopted desktop analysis and triangulation through a range of qualitative and quantitative data to ensure robust and rigorous evaluation of the SUBSBH initiative. ResultsThe study found that the initiative was successful in meeting basic accepted practice for child abuse and YSVA prevention programs, receiving positive participant feedback on the educational program, achieving the initiative’s objective to increase reporting of YSVA, and achieving cost-efficiency in meeting outcomes. Importantly, the increase in reporting of YSVA was statistically significant. ConclusionThis study contributes to current understanding regarding the implementation of multi-component child abuse prevention initiatives and provides an example of a cost-efficient police-led community response to child abuse and YSVA in Indigenous communities. The findings may guide responses in other communities which grapple with this critical social issue.

What Constitutes Risk of Future Maltreatment Among Young Mothers? An Examination of Child Protection Investigations in Ontario, Canada

Despite younger maternal age being a risk factor for child welfare involvement, the literature on decision making once young mothers are investigated for child protection concerns is limited. This article examines characteristics and decision making related to investigating workers’ determinations that young children of adolescent and young adult mothers are at risk of future maltreatment. Using a provincially representative data set, this study found that children of young mothers were more likely to be deemed at risk of future maltreatment than those of adult mothers, and this assessment was also related to more intensive child welfare involvement. Among young mothers, a risk determination was strongly associated with maternal mental health concerns and socioeconomic circumstances. Practice and policy shifts should address the need for timely and effective material and emotional supports.

First Nations children and disparities in transfers to ongoing child welfare services in Ontario following a child protection investigation

First Nations children are overrepresented in the Ontario child welfare system and there are disparities across decision points in the investigation process (Ma, Fallon, & Richard, Child Abuse & Neglect, 90 (2019), 52–65). The current study comprises a secondary analysis of the 2013 Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect and focuses on the decision to provide ongoing child welfare services. Specifically, identifying the drivers of the decision to transfer a case to ongoing services, and how these factors vary between investigations involving First Nations children and investigations involving White children. Overall, the results indicate that caregiver functioning concerns were the main drivers for workers' decisions to transfer cases to ongoing services. The functioning concerns identified for First Nations children and their caregivers are a result of colonization and the legacy of the residential school system. In the current study, ethno-race was not found a predictive factor; rather, it may affect service provision through differential decision-making for specific groups of children and youth. Cases involving First Nations children were more likely to have been previously opened and re-opened for investigation sooner. It appears that First Nations families are not receiving the services necessary to prevent re-entry into the system.