Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100272
Glena Hossein
Background
Prior research has established a strong association between childhood experiences of out-of-home care (OHC) and adult criminal offending. Disruptions of this pathway, however, remain insufficiently explored. From a life-course perspective, educational attainment may function as a key turning point, fostering resilience and reducing the risk of offending in individuals with OHC experiences.
Objective
This study investigates the extent to which educational attainment, here operationalized as completion of upper secondary school, mediates and/or modifies the relationship between childhood OHC placement and adult criminal behavior. The analysis examines three dimensions of offending – conviction, incarceration, and violent crime – stratified by sex.
Participants and Setting
Data from the Stockholm Birth Cohort Multigen cohort (n ≈ 14,000) was utilized, comprising individuals born in 1953 in Sweden.
Methods
Four-way decomposition analyses were conducted to distinguish the mediating and interactive effects of educational attainment.
Findings
OHC placement was associated with higher odds of adult conviction, incarceration and violent crime. Educational attainment explained 70-95 percent of this association through mediation and/or interaction, with interaction being substantially more influential than mediation. The protective effect of education was more pronounced for severe offending among men.
Conclusions
Educational attainment substantially disrupts the pathway from OHC to criminal offending, primarily through interactive mechanisms. Policy efforts promoting educational attainment among OHC-experienced youth may significantly reduce offending risks. However, achieving such outcomes requires broader support to facilitate educational success and long-term resilience.
{"title":"Disrupting the path from placement in out-of-home care to adult crime: Mediation and interaction by educational attainment","authors":"Glena Hossein","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Prior research has established a strong association between childhood experiences of out-of-home care (OHC) and adult criminal offending. Disruptions of this pathway, however, remain insufficiently explored. From a life-course perspective, educational attainment may function as a key turning point, fostering resilience and reducing the risk of offending in individuals with OHC experiences.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study investigates the extent to which educational attainment, here operationalized as completion of upper secondary school, mediates and/or modifies the relationship between childhood OHC placement and adult criminal behavior. The analysis examines three dimensions of offending – conviction, incarceration, and violent crime – stratified by sex.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and Setting</h3><div>Data from the Stockholm Birth Cohort Multigen cohort (n ≈ 14,000) was utilized, comprising individuals born in 1953 in Sweden.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Four-way decomposition analyses were conducted to distinguish the mediating and interactive effects of educational attainment.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>OHC placement was associated with higher odds of adult conviction, incarceration and violent crime. Educational attainment explained 70-95 percent of this association through mediation and/or interaction, with interaction being substantially more influential than mediation. The protective effect of education was more pronounced for severe offending among men.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Educational attainment substantially disrupts the pathway from OHC to criminal offending, primarily through interactive mechanisms. Policy efforts promoting educational attainment among OHC-experienced youth may significantly reduce offending risks. However, achieving such outcomes requires broader support to facilitate educational success and long-term resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100272"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100267
Signe Boe Rayce , Anne Marie Villumsen , Maiken Pontoppidan , Tine Nielsen
Background
Client engagement encompasses family involvement in child protection casework and the collaborative relationship between case workers and families. The Client Engagement Scale was developed to assess client engagement within child protective systems.
Objective
Building on Yatchmenoff's conceptual framework, this study aimed to translate and conduct an initial psychometric validation of a client engagement measure specifically within Denmark's child and family welfare system.
Participants and setting
Parents with active cases in the Danish Child and Family Welfare system completed 210 online survey questionnaires.
Methods
The original pool of 37 items was translated and adapted to the Danish context. Construct validity for five subscales of client engagement was examined using Rasch models (RM) and graphical loglinear Rasch models (GLLRM) with a focus on differential item functioning and local dependency of items.
Results
After item elimination, a 5-item expectancy subscale fitted the pure RM. A 6-item receptivity, 4-item mistrust, and a 3-item working relationship subscale presented some differential functioning and/or local dependency, but to a degree which could be accounted for using GLLRM. The investment subscale did not fit the RM nor a GLLRM. The resulting scales demonstrated high to excellent reliability, but poor targeting to the study population.
Conclusion
Essentially valid subscales resulted for four out of five aspects of client engagement within Denmark's Child and Family Welfare system. While these subscales show promise for statistical use, future research should examine their psychometric properties in larger and more diverse samples before attempting to use them at an individual level in an everyday child and family welfare practice.
{"title":"Adapting and validating the client engagement scale for the Danish child and family welfare context: A Rasch-based construct validity study","authors":"Signe Boe Rayce , Anne Marie Villumsen , Maiken Pontoppidan , Tine Nielsen","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Client engagement encompasses family involvement in child protection casework and the collaborative relationship between case workers and families. The Client Engagement Scale was developed to assess client engagement within child protective systems.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Building on Yatchmenoff's conceptual framework, this study aimed to translate and conduct an initial psychometric validation of a client engagement measure specifically within Denmark's child and family welfare system.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Parents with active cases in the Danish Child and Family Welfare system completed 210 online survey questionnaires.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The original pool of 37 items was translated and adapted to the Danish context. Construct validity for five subscales of client engagement was examined using Rasch models (RM) and graphical loglinear Rasch models (GLLRM) with a focus on differential item functioning and local dependency of items.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After item elimination, a 5-item expectancy subscale fitted the pure RM. A 6-item receptivity, 4-item mistrust, and a 3-item working relationship subscale presented some differential functioning and/or local dependency, but to a degree which could be accounted for using GLLRM. The investment subscale did not fit the RM nor a GLLRM. The resulting scales demonstrated high to excellent reliability, but poor targeting to the study population.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Essentially valid subscales resulted for four out of five aspects of client engagement within Denmark's Child and Family Welfare system. While these subscales show promise for statistical use, future research should examine their psychometric properties in larger and more diverse samples before attempting to use them at an individual level in an everyday child and family welfare practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100267"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100270
Bob Lonne , Ashley Stewart-Tufescu , Shawna Lee , Christine Morley
The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) emphasizes the centrality of the family, culture and community in the nurturing and socialization of all children, and the responsibility of governments to develop laws, policies and programs that support families and children to achieve their human potentials, and to be protected from discrimination, violence, exploitation and other harms. Children requiring protective interventions should be placed in homes within their cultural or community milieu. However, in many countries protective interventions are not required by policy to enact a child rights approach, nor to ensure that children's best interests of are required in case decision-making, and corporal punishment is not outlawed.
In this article we pose the question: How impactful has the CRC been upon the policy and practice in child protection/welfare systems in Australia, Canada and the USA? We apply a critical comparative lens to examine how the CRC has been implemented and operationalized in these nations, focusing upon two important Articles: the best interests principle and corporal punishment. We assess the current state of CYP's rights and describe and analyze the extent to which these countries have formally or informally embedded and operationalized the CRC into their child protection legislations, policies and practices. We compare and contrast these nation's protective system achievements using publicly available sources of analysis and commentary. We examine the ways in which the CRC plays a transformative role in child welfare systems and its potential to be a greater force for much needed system change.
{"title":"Assessing the impacts on child welfare practice of important articles of the UN convention on the rights of the child: A comparison of Australia, Canada and the USA","authors":"Bob Lonne , Ashley Stewart-Tufescu , Shawna Lee , Christine Morley","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) emphasizes the centrality of the family, culture and community in the nurturing and socialization of all children, and the responsibility of governments to develop laws, policies and programs that support families and children to achieve their human potentials, and to be protected from discrimination, violence, exploitation and other harms. Children requiring protective interventions should be placed in homes within their cultural or community milieu. However, in many countries protective interventions are not required by policy to enact a child rights approach, nor to ensure that children's best interests of are required in case decision-making, and corporal punishment is not outlawed.</div><div>In this article we pose the question: How impactful has the CRC been upon the policy and practice in child protection/welfare systems in Australia, Canada and the USA? We apply a critical comparative lens to examine how the CRC has been implemented and operationalized in these nations, focusing upon two important Articles: the best interests principle and corporal punishment. We assess the current state of CYP's rights and describe and analyze the extent to which these countries have formally or informally embedded and operationalized the CRC into their child protection legislations, policies and practices. We compare and contrast these nation's protective system achievements using publicly available sources of analysis and commentary. We examine the ways in which the CRC plays a transformative role in child welfare systems and its potential to be a greater force for much needed system change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100270"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100263
Naomi Jay Parker , Olivia Cullen , Janine Elenko , Jennifer McAlpine , Gina Dimitropoulos
There is an urgent need to demonstrate the immediate and long-term outcomes for Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYACs) and the vulnerable children and youth they serve through ongoing evaluation and research. Collecting and using high-quality data helps CYACs improve services, strengthen program design, and make informed decisions about child abuse prevention, investigation, and response. When consistent data is collected across CYACs it reveals child abuse trends, highlights areas for program improvement, and identifies gaps in understanding of child abuse. CYACs can leverage outcome data to advocate for environmental change and influence policies to improve outcomes for children and youth impacted by child abuse. The Alberta Network of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres worked together to establish a minimum dataset for CYACs. This collaborative effort was born out of a shared vision that by strengthening and establishing consistent approaches to data collection, they could collectively impact the model to continue providing responsive services to the children and youth they serve. In this discussion article we present the co-developed theory of change, minimum dataset and core outcomes to support CYACs in robust impact measurement.
{"title":"Measuring impact of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres: Co-developing a theory of change and minimum dataset for Alberta Child and Youth Advocacy Centres","authors":"Naomi Jay Parker , Olivia Cullen , Janine Elenko , Jennifer McAlpine , Gina Dimitropoulos","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is an urgent need to demonstrate the immediate and long-term outcomes for Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYACs) and the vulnerable children and youth they serve through ongoing evaluation and research. Collecting and using high-quality data helps CYACs improve services, strengthen program design, and make informed decisions about child abuse prevention, investigation, and response. When consistent data is collected across CYACs it reveals child abuse trends, highlights areas for program improvement, and identifies gaps in understanding of child abuse. CYACs can leverage outcome data to advocate for environmental change and influence policies to improve outcomes for children and youth impacted by child abuse. The Alberta Network of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres worked together to establish a minimum dataset for CYACs. This collaborative effort was born out of a shared vision that by strengthening and establishing consistent approaches to data collection, they could collectively impact the model to continue providing responsive services to the children and youth they serve. In this discussion article we present the co-developed theory of change, minimum dataset and core outcomes to support CYACs in robust impact measurement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100263"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-25DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100266
Lindsay Crompton , Nicholas Chu , Nathaniel J. Pollock , John Fluke , Lil Tonmyr
Background
Administrative data can be used to systematically analyze and evaluate social and community services for families in contact with the child welfare system. These services aim to address social and economic disadvantages and prevent the recurrence of child maltreatment.
Objective
The objectives were to: map the types of social and community services captured in child welfare administrative and linked data sources; describe population-based indicators that measure services; and identify data sources used to create service indicators.
Participants and setting
Children, youth, and/or families in contact with the child welfare system.
Methods
A scoping review was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and a grey literature search (2000–2023). The outcome of interest was social and community service-related indicators captured within or linked to child welfare administrative data.
Findings
Twenty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. Types of services varied widely (e.g., parenting, financial, education). For service indicators, we identified 11 process indicator themes and 11 outcome indicator themes. Information on services were not typically included directly in child welfare administrative data. Most studies combined child welfare administrative data with service data using linkage methodology, with a median of two data sources per study.
Conclusion
This review systematically classified social and community service categories, identified process and outcome service indicators, and examined data sources used to create service indicators. Findings can be used by child welfare agencies, other service providers, and public health organizations to improve child welfare data infrastructure and inform policy and practice decision-making.
{"title":"Measuring social and community services for children, youth, and families in contact with the child welfare system: A scoping review","authors":"Lindsay Crompton , Nicholas Chu , Nathaniel J. Pollock , John Fluke , Lil Tonmyr","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Administrative data can be used to systematically analyze and evaluate social and community services for families in contact with the child welfare system. These services aim to address social and economic disadvantages and prevent the recurrence of child maltreatment.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The objectives were to: map the types of social and community services captured in child welfare administrative and linked data sources; describe population-based indicators that measure services; and identify data sources used to create service indicators.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Children, youth, and/or families in contact with the child welfare system.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A scoping review was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and a grey literature search (2000–2023). The outcome of interest was social and community service-related indicators captured within or linked to child welfare administrative data.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Twenty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. Types of services varied widely (e.g., parenting, financial, education). For service indicators, we identified 11 process indicator themes and 11 outcome indicator themes. Information on services were not typically included directly in child welfare administrative data. Most studies combined child welfare administrative data with service data using linkage methodology, with a median of two data sources per study.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This review systematically classified social and community service categories, identified process and outcome service indicators, and examined data sources used to create service indicators. Findings can be used by child welfare agencies, other service providers, and public health organizations to improve child welfare data infrastructure and inform policy and practice decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100265
Md Abul Kalam , Chowdhury Abdullah Al Asif , Md Mehedi Hasan , Shirin Afroz , Gopesh Chandra Das , Mai-Anh Hoang , Kyly C. Whitfield
Background
Despite widespread recognition of social norms' influence on child marriage (CM), little is known about how to measure the most influential norms in parental CM decisions. Because of their pivotal role in marriage decision-making, measuring social norms among parents is a critical step to address CM through effective intervention. Guided by social norm theory and contextual attitude scale, this study examines the role of parental norms in CM decisions, aiming to inform policies and programs to address CM in Bangladesh.
Participants and settings
Data came from a cross-sectional matched study in Khulna Division, Bangladesh, with parents of unmarried (n = 127) and married (n = 127) adolescent girls.
Methods
We developed several indices reflecting social norms, prudential reasons, combined norms and prudential reasons, and attitudes, based on social norm theory. We performed chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses to identify the role of social norms influencing CM decisions.
Results
Chi-square tests revealed that parents of married girls were more likely to agree with items across all measures. Adjusted logistic regression showed the strongest association with CM for the combined norms and prudential reasons index (aOR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.84–5.37), followed by attitudes (aOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.85–4.18), and prudential reasons (aOR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.75–3.91). The association was not significant with the social norms index. Item-wise regression models showed that parents of married adolescent girls were more likely to agree on two prudential reasons items and several attitude items related to sexuality, agency, violence, and religious beliefs.
Conclusion
CM decisions are shaped by a complex interplay of social norms, prudential reasons, and attitudes. Effective interventions must address these interlinked drivers to disrupt the cycle of CM.
{"title":"Role of social norms on early child marriage decisions among the parents of married and unmarried adolescent girls: Findings from a matched study in Bangladesh","authors":"Md Abul Kalam , Chowdhury Abdullah Al Asif , Md Mehedi Hasan , Shirin Afroz , Gopesh Chandra Das , Mai-Anh Hoang , Kyly C. Whitfield","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Despite widespread recognition of social norms' influence on child marriage (CM), little is known about how to measure the most influential norms in parental CM decisions. Because of their pivotal role in marriage decision-making, measuring social norms among parents is a critical step to address CM through effective intervention. Guided by social norm theory and contextual attitude scale, this study examines the role of parental norms in CM decisions, aiming to inform policies and programs to address CM in Bangladesh.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and settings</h3><div>Data came from a cross-sectional matched study in Khulna Division, Bangladesh, with parents of unmarried (n = 127) and married (n = 127) adolescent girls.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We developed several indices reflecting social norms, prudential reasons, combined norms and prudential reasons, and attitudes, based on social norm theory. We performed chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses to identify the role of social norms influencing CM decisions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Chi-square tests revealed that parents of married girls were more likely to agree with items across all measures. Adjusted logistic regression showed the strongest association with CM for the combined norms and prudential reasons index (aOR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.84–5.37), followed by attitudes (aOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.85–4.18), and prudential reasons (aOR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.75–3.91). The association was not significant with the social norms index. Item-wise regression models showed that parents of married adolescent girls were more likely to agree on two prudential reasons items and several attitude items related to sexuality, agency, violence, and religious beliefs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CM decisions are shaped by a complex interplay of social norms, prudential reasons, and attitudes. Effective interventions must address these interlinked drivers to disrupt the cycle of CM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100265"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100264
Cheyenne Smith , Joanne N. Wood , Shelby Davies , Sarah Green , Cynthia Mollen , Cindy W. Christian , Anish Raj , Polina Krass
Sex trafficking and sexual exploitation (SE) of youth remain pervasive but underrecognized crimes in the US. Most youth who experience SE interact with healthcare during their exploitation but many are not recognized. To identify opportunities to strengthen care for youth at risk of SE, we examined the frequency and predictors of youth being screened for SE and receiving other elements of best practice adolescent healthcare in the year prior to their intake at a specialty clinic for sex-trafficked youth. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients seen for an intake appointment between July 2021–October 2022 at this specialty clinic. We evaluated past-year healthcare visit locations, reasons for visits, screening for SE, and provision of three elements of guideline-compliant adolescent care: confidential conversation with a provider, sexually transmitted infection testing, and social work referral when indicated. We used comparative statistics to evaluate associations with screening for SE, and logistic regression to evaluate the association between SE, guideline-compliant care and prior healthcare visit location. Of the 31 included patients, 87 % (n = 27) had at least one prior-year healthcare visit, corresponding to 102 visits. The most common visit location was the Emergency Department (ED) and the most common reasons for visits were reproductive health/STI testing and injury/assault. During at least one prior-year healthcare visit, 56 % of youth (n = 15/27) had documented screening for SE and 56 % (n = 15/27) received all three elements of guideline-compliant care. Youth who received any of the three elements of guideline-compliant care were more likely to be screened for SE, as were youth who were admitted to the hospital. Despite frequent healthcare utilization, many youth with histories of sexual exploitation did not receive guideline-compliant adolescent care or screening for SE. Embedding trauma-informed adolescent care into routine healthcare practice may improve recognition and support for this population. Looking ahead, it is critical for health systems to develop protocols and trainings to support providers in appropriately identifying and supporting youth with histories of SE.
{"title":"Missed opportunities to screen for sexual exploitation among youth who have experienced sex trafficking","authors":"Cheyenne Smith , Joanne N. Wood , Shelby Davies , Sarah Green , Cynthia Mollen , Cindy W. Christian , Anish Raj , Polina Krass","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sex trafficking and sexual exploitation (SE) of youth remain pervasive but underrecognized crimes in the US. Most youth who experience SE interact with healthcare during their exploitation but many are not recognized. To identify opportunities to strengthen care for youth at risk of SE, we examined the frequency and predictors of youth being screened for SE and receiving other elements of best practice adolescent healthcare in the year prior to their intake at a specialty clinic for sex-trafficked youth. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients seen for an intake appointment between July 2021–October 2022 at this specialty clinic. We evaluated past-year healthcare visit locations, reasons for visits, screening for SE, and provision of three elements of guideline-compliant adolescent care: confidential conversation with a provider, sexually transmitted infection testing, and social work referral when indicated. We used comparative statistics to evaluate associations with screening for SE, and logistic regression to evaluate the association between SE, guideline-compliant care and prior healthcare visit location. Of the 31 included patients, 87 % (n = 27) had at least one prior-year healthcare visit, corresponding to 102 visits. The most common visit location was the Emergency Department (ED) and the most common reasons for visits were reproductive health/STI testing and injury/assault. During at least one prior-year healthcare visit, 56 % of youth (n = 15/27) had documented screening for SE and 56 % (n = 15/27) received all three elements of guideline-compliant care. Youth who received any of the three elements of guideline-compliant care were more likely to be screened for SE, as were youth who were admitted to the hospital. Despite frequent healthcare utilization, many youth with histories of sexual exploitation did not receive guideline-compliant adolescent care or screening for SE. Embedding trauma-informed adolescent care into routine healthcare practice may improve recognition and support for this population. Looking ahead, it is critical for health systems to develop protocols and trainings to support providers in appropriately identifying and supporting youth with histories of SE.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100264"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-18DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100262
Alex Zheng , Alexia Medeiros , Sarah A. Richmond , Fahra Rajabali , Shazya Karmali , Brendan Smith , Sarah Carsley , Alison K. Macpherson , Natasha Saunders , Shelina Babul , Ian Pike
Background
The increased stressors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent stay-at-home policies were hypothesized to increase violence and abuse among children and youth. Data on this issue are scant and where they do exist, mixed results have been observed, with variation by jurisdiction. The availability of local data is crucial in assessing the impact of local policies on child violence outcomes.
Methods
Using hospitalization records with a diagnosis of a violence-related injury, an interrupted time-series design was used to determine whether the initial stay-at-home public health policies affected the rates of violence-related injury hospitalizations among children and youth aged 0–19 years in British Columbia, Canada. Hospitalization data were obtained from the Discharge Abstract Database from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2022, with the March 17, 2020 initial lockdown time taken as the interruption point. Effects were examined as the whole cohort, by sex and age-group, and by material deprivation quintiles.
Results
There were 745 violence-related injury hospitalizations observed during the study period, with 571 occurring in the pre-COVID period (0.97 per 100,000 population) and 174 in the 24-months post onset of COVID policy restrictions (0.73 per 100,000 population). There was an overall decreasing trend (0.8 % per month; 95 % CI: 0.2–1.4 %) in hospitalization rates during the five-year pre-COVID period. No significant effects were observed at the interruption point or in the two-year follow-up phase. Older males aged 10–19 years (rate ratio: 9.6; 95 % CI: 7.7–12.0) and females (rate ratio: 2.1; 95 % CI: 1.6–2.7) had higher rates than younger children aged 0–9 years. Children and youth living in the most materially deprived neighborhoods had 4.3 (95 % CI: 3.2–5.6) times the hospitalization rate than those living in least deprived neighborhoods. Neither sex and age-group nor material deprivation quintiles had differential effects on the change at the interruption point or the trend during the follow-up phase.
Conclusions
Violence-related injury hospitalization rates among children and youth in British Columbia, Canada have been on a steady decline during the pre-pandemic years. The COVID-19 stay-at-home measures did not appear to have an impact on this rate.
{"title":"Trends in hospitalizations resulting from violent injuries among children and youth in British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Alex Zheng , Alexia Medeiros , Sarah A. Richmond , Fahra Rajabali , Shazya Karmali , Brendan Smith , Sarah Carsley , Alison K. Macpherson , Natasha Saunders , Shelina Babul , Ian Pike","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The increased stressors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent stay-at-home policies were hypothesized to increase violence and abuse among children and youth. Data on this issue are scant and where they do exist, mixed results have been observed, with variation by jurisdiction. The availability of local data is crucial in assessing the impact of local policies on child violence outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using hospitalization records with a diagnosis of a violence-related injury, an interrupted time-series design was used to determine whether the initial stay-at-home public health policies affected the rates of violence-related injury hospitalizations among children and youth aged 0–19 years in British Columbia, Canada. Hospitalization data were obtained from the Discharge Abstract Database from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2022, with the March 17, 2020 initial lockdown time taken as the interruption point. Effects were examined as the whole cohort, by sex and age-group, and by material deprivation quintiles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were 745 violence-related injury hospitalizations observed during the study period, with 571 occurring in the pre-COVID period (0.97 per 100,000 population) and 174 in the 24-months post onset of COVID policy restrictions (0.73 per 100,000 population). There was an overall decreasing trend (0.8 % per month; 95 % CI: 0.2–1.4 %) in hospitalization rates during the five-year pre-COVID period. No significant effects were observed at the interruption point or in the two-year follow-up phase. Older males aged 10–19 years (rate ratio: 9.6; 95 % CI: 7.7–12.0) and females (rate ratio: 2.1; 95 % CI: 1.6–2.7) had higher rates than younger children aged 0–9 years. Children and youth living in the most materially deprived neighborhoods had 4.3 (95 % CI: 3.2–5.6) times the hospitalization rate than those living in least deprived neighborhoods. Neither sex and age-group nor material deprivation quintiles had differential effects on the change at the interruption point or the trend during the follow-up phase.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Violence-related injury hospitalization rates among children and youth in British Columbia, Canada have been on a steady decline during the pre-pandemic years. The COVID-19 stay-at-home measures did not appear to have an impact on this rate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100262"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145618370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-16DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100259
Adrienne Ratushniak , Lise Milne , Kendra Nixon , Carlos Rosas-Jiménez
Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most frequently reported forms of violence and child maltreatment in Canada, especially in the province of Saskatchewan. The disconnection of helping systems is a prominent barrier to safety and justice for mothers, children, and families.
Objective
Part of a larger Canadian study, the perspectives of IPV victim-survivors were explored to determine how child protection and collateral support services respond to IPV reports in Saskatchewan.
Participants and setting
Participants included three IPV victim-survivors.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematically analyzed through a critical feminist lens. A composite character of the participants was created as a narrative case study. A mapping of the intersectional complexities of IPV was developed to better understand the phenomena.
Results
According to participants, intergenerational trauma and violence normalization contributed to unhealthy conceptualizations about their intimate relationships, including a lack of awareness about coercive control. Victim-survivors and their children were distrustful of helping systems due to feeling powerless and traumatized, primarily by child protection and legal systems, where interactions were at times experienced as discriminatory. They also faced barriers with other support services.
Conclusions
Despite recent practice and policy improvements, the responsibilization of victim-survivors continues, driven by structural and systemic issues including sexism, discrimination and ongoing colonialism. Echoed in IPV studies globally, collaborative systemic change is necessary to reduce and prevent IPV and child maltreatment. This cultural shift should include prioritizing perpetrator accountability and increasing education and public awareness of IPV.
{"title":"Sarah's story: A Canadian narrative case study and systems map of the complex barriers IPV victim-survivors and their children must navigate","authors":"Adrienne Ratushniak , Lise Milne , Kendra Nixon , Carlos Rosas-Jiménez","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most frequently reported forms of violence and child maltreatment in Canada, especially in the province of Saskatchewan. The disconnection of helping systems is a prominent barrier to safety and justice for mothers, children, and families.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Part of a larger Canadian study, the perspectives of IPV victim-survivors were explored to determine how child protection and collateral support services respond to IPV reports in Saskatchewan.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Participants included three IPV victim-survivors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematically analyzed through a critical feminist lens. A composite character of the participants was created as a narrative case study. A mapping of the intersectional complexities of IPV was developed to better understand the phenomena.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>According to participants, intergenerational trauma and violence normalization contributed to unhealthy conceptualizations about their intimate relationships, including a lack of awareness about coercive control. Victim-survivors and their children were distrustful of helping systems due to feeling powerless and traumatized, primarily by child protection and legal systems, where interactions were at times experienced as discriminatory. They also faced barriers with other support services.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Despite recent practice and policy improvements, the responsibilization of victim-survivors continues, driven by structural and systemic issues including sexism, discrimination and ongoing colonialism. Echoed in IPV studies globally, collaborative systemic change is necessary to reduce and prevent IPV and child maltreatment. This cultural shift should include prioritizing perpetrator accountability and increasing education and public awareness of IPV.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-15DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100257
Vincent J. Palusci , Kymme Napoli
{"title":"Erratum to “COVID-related stress as a driver of unusual medical presentations” [Child Protection and Practice 1 (April 2024) 100017]","authors":"Vincent J. Palusci , Kymme Napoli","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100257","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100257"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}