Child Protection and Practice最新文献

{"title":"Protecting young minds: insights on pre-adolescents' mental health from a school-based study in Argentina","authors":"Perla Kaliman ,&nbsp;María Jesús Álvarez-López ,&nbsp;Marina Lisenberg ,&nbsp;María Agustina Acosta ,&nbsp;Denise Agostina Simkin ,&nbsp;Rocío Martínez-Vivot","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Childhood and adolescent mental health is in crisis globally, emphasizing the need for early detection and prevention strategies. Children from marginalized neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable, yet data on their psychological well-being is still limited in Argentina.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>We aimed to explore mental health characteristics of vulnerable school children and assess the feasibility of a psychological well-being promoting program.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>This study was conducted in a primary school in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, involving 35 children aged 11.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants completed validated Spanish versions of scales assessing perceived stress (PSS-14), PTSD symptoms (CPSS), empathy, mindfulness (MAAS-A), and self-compassion (SCS-SF). Sex differences and correlations between scales were explored.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Significant sex disparities were found in perceived stress, with girls reporting higher scores (p = 0.002). PTSD symptoms were alarmingly high, with 74 % of participants exceeding the clinical cut-off of 16 (girls: mean = 27.48, SD = 9.45; boys: mean = 17.36, SD = 12.76; p = 0.017). Boys scored higher in self-compassion (p = 0.003). Positive correlations were found between stress and PTSD symptoms (r = 0.597, p &lt; 0.001) and between mindfulness and self-compassion (r = 0.439, p = 0.008). Both dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion negatively correlated with perceived stress (r = −0.526, p = 0.001; r = −0.595, p &lt; 0.001, respectively) and PTSD symptoms (r = −0.616, p &lt; 0.001; r = −0.561, p &lt; 0.001, respectively).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our study highlights the significant vulnerability of this population, emphasizing the urgency for early detection and gender- and trauma-sensitive prevention efforts. Notably, our findings suggest that mindfulness and self-compassion training may be key protective components within mental health-promoting interventions for preadolescents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932138","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}

{"title":"Family-friendly labor policies and child supervision: Evidence from the Gambia, Mauritania, and São Tomé and Príncipe","authors":"Samaneh Mansouri ,&nbsp;Camila Corrêa Matias Pereira ,&nbsp;Toufica Sultana ,&nbsp;Mónica Ruiz-Casares ,&nbsp;José Ignacio Nazif-Muñoz","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100226","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100226","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), children under five years old are frequently left home alone without adult supervision, exposing them to various risks. Family-friendly labor policies have the potential to improve parental care, but evidence of their effectiveness in LMICs remains scarce.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examines the association between labor market policies and the prevalence of unsupervised children in The Gambia, Mauritania, and São Tomé and Príncipe.</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>The study included a total of 42,399 children under five years of age, from two waves of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in The Gambia, Mauritania, and São Tomé and Príncipe. The surveys employed similar sampling strategies and survey weights, both of which was approved by UNICEF to ensure methodological rigor and representativeness.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A mixed-method approach was used to provide a comprehensive analysis of policy development and its impact on child adequate supervision. Using this method, we (a) tracked and verified policy development through key informant interviews, and (b) analyzed two waves of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS).</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Our findings indicate that while labor market policies alone do not significantly reduce unsupervised time (adjusted risk ratio = 0.59–1.74, 95 % confidence interval), their integration into broader child welfare strategies could enhance child supervision.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the need for robust policies to address child protection challenges in LMICs. While not sufficient alone, their effective implementation can improve child supervision as part of child welfare strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100226"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932137","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}

{"title":"Understanding families with multiple, complex, and unmet service needs in the child protection system through the lens of linked administrative data in New South Wales, Australia","authors":"Betty Luu ,&nbsp;Amy Conley Wright ,&nbsp;Stefanie Schurer ,&nbsp;Susan Collings ,&nbsp;Laura Metcalfe ,&nbsp;Susan Heward-Belle ,&nbsp;Emma L. Barrett","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Co-occurrence of domestic and family violence (DFV), substance misuse (SM), and mental health (MH) issues is widely discussed in child protection cases, as they reflect multiple, complex, and unmet service needs of families.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Using population-level, high-volume linked administrative data from the NSW Human Services Data Set, this study aimed to quantify the prevalence of children reported to child protection services who live in families with co-occurring DFV, SM, and MH.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>The sample comprised a retrospective cohort of 584,365 unique children with a first child protection Helpline record between 2004 and 2018.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Binary indicators for presence of DFV, SM, and MH (individually and combined) are derived from child protection Helpline reports within 12 months of first contact and their parents’ prior records in police, court, and healthcare systems.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Out of 584,365 children, 33 % had at least one Helpline concern of DFV. Of these, 81 % recorded only DFV, 16.6 % had DFV in combination with either SM or MH, and 2.4 % recorded all three. For a large share of these children, there was evidence in other systems that their parents had those issues prior: up to 47 % had a police report for DFV, 34 % (37 %) were treated in ambulatory care for (diagnosed with) MH, and 27 % had a diagnosis of SM.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Information linked together from other service systems can help identify and create avenues for interventions to support the large share of families with multiple and complex service needs prior to child protection involvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100224"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988468","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}

{"title":"The potential of international media in influencing road safety policy change in Taiwan","authors":"Tzu-Ming Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The persistent issue of traffic accidents leading to child fatalities in Taiwan is a significant public health concern, with local advocacy and governmental oversight producing limited progress. However, when international media outlets, such as CNN, highlighted Taiwan's hazardous pedestrian conditions, it triggered immediate and substantial governmental action. This resulted in a notable reduction in child traffic fatalities, from 158 in 2011 to 85 in 2023. This case illustrates the potential of international media coverage to drive policy changes to complement local efforts. By leveraging global media to spotlight issues such as the rising incidence of child suicide, Taiwan can enhance its child protection measures and address this growing crisis more effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100222"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912419","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}

{"title":"Factors contributing to the increase in juvenile deliquency in Zimbabwe: The case of high-density urban residential areas","authors":"Chipo Chitereka,&nbsp;Ntokozo Nyathi,&nbsp;Stella Chipo Takaza,&nbsp;Diana Kanyere","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In this study, the researchers explored the risk factors and associated issues contributing to high rates of juvenile delinquency in overcrowded areas of urban Zimbabwe.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The study aims to investigate the factors contributing to the increase in juvenile delinquency in high density suburbs of Zimbabwe and the types of delinquencies the children commit. It also seeks to explore ways of combating juvenile deliquency in high density areas in Zimbabwe.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and settings</h3><div>The study was conducted with 24 juveniles living in Mabvuku, Harare and 6 key informants providing child protection services (social workers and police officers) in this area.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using a qualitative case study design, the researchers employed focus group discussions (FDGs) with juveniles and in-depth interviews with key informants in collecting data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The research established that poverty was the major determining factor to the increase in juvenile delinquency in overcrowded high-density suburbs. In addition, factors such as broken families, high rates of family and community criminality aggravated by high residential turnover and lack of social control, social media technologies and peer pressure were also reportedly increasing antisocial behaviour. The findings also revealed that juveniles living in overcrowded urban settings were involved in antisocial behaviours such as selling and abusing drugs and substances, early involvement in sexual activities, theft and violence, among others.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study, therefore, suggests early identification of children in toxic family and community environments by community childcare workers (CCWs) and the effective control and regulation of drug and substance trafficking by law enforcement agencies as well as educational and recreational programmes for reducing juvenile delinquency. Child welfare and social development practitioners working with communities are recommended to initiate programmes that empower financial sustainability for deprived families and communities for them to have improved livelihoods. Further, the study recommends the collaboration of government and development partners in channelling resources towards the enhancement of livelihoods for the impoverished people living in overcrowded urban areas and the prioritisation of the wellbeing of children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144885572","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}

{"title":"A ten-year retrospective: How children shaped advocacy with Terre des Hommes Netherlands","authors":"Francois-Xavier Souchet ,&nbsp;Bella Bourgeois ,&nbsp;Subrat Kumar Panda ,&nbsp;Daniel Munaaba ,&nbsp;Caroline Parmet ,&nbsp;Natcha Walai ,&nbsp;Srida Tantaatipanit ,&nbsp;Kanyapak Sukyu ,&nbsp;Eva Notté ,&nbsp;Isabella Lanza Turner ,&nbsp;Kimberley Anderson","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100221","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article presents an in-depth analysis of children and young people's engagement in Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) influencing work over the past 10 years. The Lundy framework is used to examine child participation across its four components: space, voice, audience and influence. Data were gathered through a comprehensive desk review, 32 semi-structured interviews with young people and 5 interviews with adult facilitators who participated in influencing activities over the period 2013–2023. The findings indicate that while child and youth participation in influencing at local and subnational levels provided opportunities for meaningful participation, opportunities for engagement of children at national and international levels remained limited. The article provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance the inclusivity, safety and impact of future advocacy initiatives, and to promote meaningful child participation. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of integrating children's voices into decision-making processes to ensure systemic change and the sustainable protection of children's rights.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917881","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}

{"title":"Preliminary findings on the psychometric properties of the ICAST-home among children in Southeast Nigeria","authors":"Elekwachi Chimezie Lekwas ,&nbsp;Peter Onyekwere Ebigbo ,&nbsp;John Eze ,&nbsp;Obi Ikechukwu ,&nbsp;Doris Chinelo Eyisi","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100218","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100218","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Child abuse is a significant global public health issue, with a high prevalence in Southeast Nigeria. Developing and evaluating screening tools that are sensitive and specific to local conditions is critical.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ICAST-Home in a sample of children who reside in Southeast Nigeria.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Participants were 127 (53 boys and 74 girls) children drawn from two government secondary schools in Enugu South Local Government, Enugu State, Southeast, Nigeria. Participants ages ranged from 11 to 18 (M = 15.67; SD = 2.07). Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling. Data was collected using a 36-item ICAST-Home version. Descriptive statistics, internal consistencies, independent t-tests and linear regression were used to analyse the data in SPSS version 25.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings of the study reported a prevalence rate of 28.76 % for child abuse. The scale yielded a good α ranging from .70 to .92, except for sexual victimisation which had an α of 67. However, the KR20 reported a high internal consistency for the scales. There were significant gender differences in violence exposure and sexual victimisation. The study further showed that boys reported higher violence exposure, girls reported higher sexual victimisation and overall higher child abuse experiences. Older children reported higher psychological victimisation, physical victimisation, sexual victimisation, and overall child abuse experiences.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings of the variation in reliability across the different subscales point to possible cultural adaptations that should be done for the ICAST-Home for the Southeast region of Nigeria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144830831","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}

{"title":"Evaluating the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the socio-emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning in diverse and marginalized pediatric patients experiencing chronic pain","authors":"Cristal Lopez ,&nbsp;Chelsea C. Okoro ,&nbsp;Saloni Dangoria ,&nbsp;Jeffrey I. Gold","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100219","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860598","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}

{"title":"‘It wasn't an accident’: The psychological trauma of non-consensual rugby injuries sustained in physical education","authors":"Eric Anderson ,&nbsp;James Alder ,&nbsp;Jack Hardwicke","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The last few decades have seen increased alarm concerning the dangers of childhood rugby participation, mostly in relation to the well-known problems associated with brain trauma in the sport. There has, however, been little investigation concerning the psychological impact of injuries sustained during compulsory participation in rugby within British schools physical education (PE).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This research sought to explore experiences of rugby-induced injury as a result of compelled participation in schools PE.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Qualitative, in-depth interviews with 12 young adults aged 19 to 24 (ten men and two women) who were injured playing schools rugby in PE. All interviewees attest to having not wanting to participate in rugby, and therefore we define the injuries sustained as non-consensual. Interviews explored the cause, nature, and enduring psychological trauma related to these injury events.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The compulsory, and therefore non-consensual character of the rugby-induced injuries experienced by our participants compounded the harm beyond physical trauma. They reported that the mandatory participation in contact rugby within their school PE classes undermined their ability to cognitively frame their injuries as accidents. These injuries were more appropriately perceived as violations of their bodily autonomy. This perception led to enduring embitterment, as participants resented being forced into the sport. As adults, they have developed a deeper understanding of informed consent, further intensifying psychological impacts and anger towards those they deemed responsible for their injuries.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Findings add to the growing safeguarding concerns over the existence of contact rugby in the British PE curriculum and children's rights, within both educational and sport settings. Two relevant policy changes to protect children are strongly advocated; 1) a greater focus on processes of consent within PE, and 2) the removal of contact rugby from the curriculum on safeguarding grounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779551","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}

{"title":"Exploring social supports created and maintained by transition-age Youth: A thematic analysis","authors":"Shelby L. Clark ,&nbsp;Taylor Dowdy-Hazlett ,&nbsp;Morgan Cooley ,&nbsp;Courtney Rogers ,&nbsp;Gilean Chikwati ,&nbsp;Detario Yancey","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Youth exiting foster care face significant challenges in their transition to adulthood, yet few studies have explored the social supports that may help them navigate this period.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study asked three research questions including: How do transition-age youth (TAY) (1) create and (2) maintain social connections; and (3) How do social connections support TAY in emerging adulthood? <strong>Participants and Setting</strong>: This study included 16 Transition-Age Youth (TAY), aged 18–25 years, who had recently left foster care or were receiving extended services in one Southeastern state.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed with thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Several key findings were identified. First, themes identified that: (1) <em>TAY are self-driven to create and leverage social connections</em>; (2) <em>TAY build connections through formal</em> support <em>systems</em>; and (3) <em>TAY value peer-led connections, advocacy, and</em> support<em>.</em> Second, themes explained that TAY maintained social support networks and included: (1) <em>TAY navigate system barriers to maintain relationships with their family of origin</em>; (2) <em>TAY are motivated and purposeful in maintaining relationships;</em> and (3) <em>TAY maintain relationships that were formalized through their foster care experience</em>. Third, themes suggested that formal and informal social supports are critical as: (1) <em>Formal structures provide</em> support <em>that help TAY emerge into adulthood;</em> and (2) A sense of <em>belonging provides anchors and purpose for TAY.</em></div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>TAY utilize various strengths and strategies to create and maintain social supports. Moreover, results demonstrate the importance of formal supports to assist TAY in emerging into adulthood.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842639","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}