Child Maltreatment最新文献

Child maltreatment can affect multiple children in a family, yet its occurrence and chronicity has been often assessed by focusing on a single child. Although this approach provides valuable insights, considering the experiences of all children in a family may provide a more complete understanding of maltreatment dynamics. Using linked birth and child protection system (CPS) records from California, we analyzed 20 years of data on 194,514 first-time mothers to document the prevalence, timing, and chronicity of maternal CPS reporting across multiple children. Mothers were categorized by the number of live childbirths: one (25.7%), two (36.2%), three (20.9%), and four or more (17.2%). Overall, 33.0% of mothers were reported to CPS, increasing from 18.5% for mothers with one child to 63.1% for those with four or more children. For mothers with two or more children, more than 70% experienced an initial CPS report only after the second child's birth. Our findings have implications for understanding the dynamics of maternal reports to CPS, emphasizing the need for lasting and family-focused interventions.

The current study aimed to examine the extent to which neighborhood structural factors commonly found to be associated with child maltreatment in urban areas also apply to rural areas. Using three years of administrative child welfare data, we examined patterns of child maltreatment across metro and nonmetro census tracts in the State of Michigan. Extending from social disorganization theory, a principal components factor analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which neighborhood structural factors (neighborhood economic disadvantage, residential instability, and childcare burden) that have been tested in relation to child maltreatment in urban areas cluster together similarly in rural areas. Spatial analysis and negative binomial regression were used to examine: (1) the extent to which these three factors were related to child maltreatment substantiation rates in nonmetro census tracts; and (2) factors hypothesized to have unique impacts within nonmetro tracts, including seasonal housing and racial demographics of neighborhoods. Findings showed some similarities between metro and nonmetro areas, including associations of neighborhood poverty, single-parent households, and vacant housing units with increased levels of child maltreatment. Differences between metro and nonmetro areas were also identified, suggesting the need for additional research into the neighborhood correlates of rural child maltreatment.

We examined the role of state and county socioeconomic contextual characteristics in explaining Black-White child differences in permanency within one year of foster care entry. We estimated race-specific hierarchical linear models consisting of individual-level demographic and case characteristics of children, state and county socioeconomic contextual factors, and CFSR-3 performance-improvement plans. Findings showed that socioeconomic contextual characteristics were significantly associated with permanency for Black and White children in different ways. Rises in per capita income increased permanency for Black and White children. Conversely, increases in unemployment and SNAP recipiency decreased permanency for Black and White children. Expansions in public welfare benefits for children in female headed households increased permanency for White children but decreased permanency for Black children. County variation in effects and the permanency gap between White and Black children imply the need for further race-specific research on the efficacy of localized, cross-system responses that address socioeconomic conditions.

Youth involved with the child welfare system (CWS) exhibit elevated rates of suicidal ideation. This study explores age-, sex-, and race-specific trends of suicidal ideation among 7-18-year-olds within the CWS. Utilizing data from all three versions of the National Survey for Child and Adolescent Well-Being (N = 5783), which included nationally representative samples of CWS-involved youth, we stratified the sample by age, sex, race, and ethnicity to observe subpopulation-specific trends. Our analysis estimated rates of self-reported suicidal ideation in each demographic stratum. Notably, we discovered that 7-10-year-old males and females reported higher rates of suicidal ideation (∼26%) than any other demographic group except 15-16-year-old females (∼27%). This trend was consistent across all racial and ethnic subgroups. Additional investigations are required to identify the causes of these elevated rates in younger children and to determine if this trend extends to children outside the CWS.

After the United States Civil War, during Reconstruction, Southern states targeted Black youth and men for incarceration and forced labor, often charging them with rape, spawning the Black male rapist myth. This study explores evidence of a Reconstruction-era ethos in present-day treatment of youth of color accused of sexual assault. Specifically, we examined effects of perpetrator age and race on legal outcomes in 382 alleged child sexual abuse cases. There were 291 adult perpetrators (91% men, M age = 34; 76% White, 20% Black, 2% biracial, 2% Latinx, and 1% Asian) and 91 adolescent perpetrators (96% boys, M age = 14; 73% White, 22% Black, 4% biracial, and 1% Latinx). Supporting hypotheses, adolescent (vs. adult) perpetrators were less frequently arrested or referred for prosecution-but only when they were White. In contrast, for perpetrators of color, being an adolescent (vs. an adult) did not reduce arrest or prosecutorial referral likelihood. Additionally, cases involving adolescents of color (vs. White adolescents) were more immediately criminally investigated. Thus, youthfulness does not proffer protection from criminal legal system involvement for adolescents of color accused of sex offending-evidence of modern and persistent racism rooted in a nation's past.

Childhood exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) poses significant risks to children's safety and wellbeing, yet its prevalence and impact on child protection outcomes remains understudied. This study examined administrative data for child protection investigations in Los Angeles County, California between January 2018 and March 2021 to determine the prevalence of CEDV safety concerns, associated case characteristics, and child protection outcomes (case openings and foster care placements). Results indicated that 5.9% of investigations had CEDV concerns and CEDV investigations represented 17.9% of placements. Investigations with CEDV concerns had higher co-occurring indicated safety concerns than investigations without, including substance abuse (31.1%) and mental health (14.2%). Investigation outcomes for those with CEDV concerns included the substantiation of more than one individual (36.6%), while 28.4% resulted in case openings (without placement) and 30.2% resulted in placements. The study underscores the importance of moving beyond punitive frameworks and exploring the use evidence-based service planning to address the complex needs of families affected by CEDV.

The Internet has empowered millions of perpetrators who create and consume child sexual abuse material (CSAM), the current term replacing child pornography. In this study, we coded data from a random sample of 2980 filenames from files shared in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks from U.S. IP addresses in 2021. Most filenames referenced girls and just under half referenced children aged 5 to 12. A wide variety of child races, ethnicities and nationalities were referenced. Over half of filenames described a sexually abusive act, most of which referenced penetration. The abuse referenced was more severe when filenames referenced children under the age of 13, both girls and boys, incest, and/or children or youth of color. The findings underline the harm to children from CSAM, suggest the value of a racial justice perspective on CSAM, and support the need to search for CSAM as part of contact child sexual abuse investigations.

Children under age three represent a disproportionate share of foster care entries, yet evidence-based interventions for this population remain limited. This study examined the impact of an infant-toddler court program in Wayne County, Michigan comparing outcomes for 60 cases assigned to the specialized docket with 240 matched controls receiving services as usual. Using propensity score matching and Fine-Gray competing risks regression, we found that infant-toddler court cases had double the likelihood of achieving reunification compared to matched controls (subdistribution hazard ratio = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.45-2.88). No significant differences were detected in time to permanency or placement stability. Results were observed in a jurisdiction predominantly serving Black families, with high rates of kinship placement, demonstrating the effectiveness of specialized courts in supporting family preservation in similar settings. Findings suggest that broader implementation of infant-toddler courts could substantially improve reunification outcomes for young children in the child welfare system.

Child emotional abuse is repeated parental behaviour that conveys to the child they are worthless, unloved, unwanted or only of value in meeting another's needs. It is widespread and associated with mental health harms - including depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide attempts - at levels comparable to those linked to physical and sexual abuse. However, there appears to be a lack of understanding of its impact and the urgency in preventing its occurrence. This systematic review aimed to synthesise findings from peer-reviewed studies published since 2000 that examined public knowledge and attitudes about the emotional abuse of children aged 0-18 perpetrated by parents. Of 39 included studies, only 4 were rated high-quality. Most often, studies examined recognition of child emotional abuse or its acceptability. Few studies investigated willingness to intervene or knowledge about prevalence or its harm to psychological health. Recognition of child emotional abuse varied depending on the type of behaviour and was highest for repeated hostility behaviours. Generally, child emotional abuse was less recognised and perceived as less harmful than sexual or physical abuse. There is a need for more high-quality data on public understanding of child emotional abuse to inform educational strategies for improving its prevention and response.

Children reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) face elevated risks of adverse outcomes. It is essential to identify vulnerable populations and opportunities for early intervention. This study combined qualitative coding of CPS intake reports with latent class analyses to explore the typologies of children and families based on documented risk factors, both across all CPS intake reports (N = 4,344) and separately for screened-in and screened-out cases. We further examined their associations with maltreatment re-report, substantiation, and foster care placement over a three-year follow-up. Results revealed four latent classes: "Financial Hardship," "Caregiver Drug Use," "Child Health Issues," and "Domestic Violence," with the "Financial Hardship" group having the highest risk of experiencing re-reports and foster care placements. We observed variations in risk profiles between screened-in and screened-out reports. Findings highlight the importance of a person-centered approach in identifying high-risk groups and co-occurring risk factors for both screened-in and screened-out reports.