Child Maltreatment最新文献

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.

Family separation due to parental substance use negatively impacts not only caregivers and children but also family networks, foster parents, and providers who support these families. This qualitative study examined the experiences of birth, kin, and foster parents, and medical, behavioral, and community providers with child removal and custody loss. Twenty-six individuals participated in five focus groups where three themes emerged: (1) insufficient support for families at the time of removal exacerbates the trauma of custody transitions across all groups; (2) the lack of transparency in the child removal process fosters mutual mistrust; and (3) opportunities exist to enhance support for families facing the challenges of child removal. Holistic strategies that minimize trauma and address the needs of families, caregivers, and professionals who interact with the child welfare system are critical to enhancing the well-being of families affected by parental substance use.

This study uses data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) and the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) to examine the incidence of maltreatment among children in out-of-home care (OOHC), the nature of that maltreatment (neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or emotional maltreatment), the source of maltreatment reports, and the relationship between maltreatment in OOHC and child characteristics (i.e., age, gender, race, ethnicity, and disability). We found that 6.5% of children in OOHC in a given reporting year were the subject of a child maltreatment report and 0.9% were substantiated maltreatment victims. Children with disabilities were more likely to experience maltreatment in OOHC than children without disabilities. Children who were maltreated while in OOHC were less likely to experience neglect and emotional maltreatment and more likely to experience physical or sexual abuse than other children who were maltreated. Reports involving maltreatment of children in OOHC were less likely to be substantiated than reports involving other children regardless of the report source, maltreatment type, or child characteristics. The relevance of these findings for preventing further harm to children who have already been neglected or abused are discussed.

Longitudinal research on the adverse consequences of childhood maltreatment has recently gained significant traction. However, systematic attrition, partly due to specific subsample recruitment needs, threatens the validity of this research. Furthermore, studies specifically analyzing these factors in the field of maltreatment research remain scarce. We utilized data from a longitudinal study comprising N = 863 participants (M_Age = 10.23 years, 47.5% female) and their caregivers at T1, and 616 participants (M_Age = 17.95 years, 50.0% female) at T2. We determined the attrition rate and analyzed psychosocial and socioeconomic predictors of attrition. Additionally, we examined differences in re-assessment efforts between maltreated and non-maltreated youth for T2. Findings indicate a comparatively low attrition rate of 28.6% over nearly 8 years. Participants' maltreatment experiences, externalizing symptoms, and lower household income predicted higher attrition risk, while interim subsample study participation reduced this risk. Maltreatment experiences, lower household income, and higher age were also associated with increased re-assessment effort. Our study provides insights into predictors of systematic attrition in a longitudinal study with maltreated and non-maltreated youth. It highlights the need for tailored retention strategies, frequent contact with families, and targeted resource allocation to mitigate systematic attrition.

This study used a subset of data from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effects of an in-home substance use and dyadic therapy model that provides treatment to child welfare-involved parents. Participants (N = 388) were randomly assigned to Family-Based Recovery (FBR) (n = 268) or treatment-as-usual (TAU) (n = 120). Two child welfare outcomes were examined 18 months post-randomization: out-of-home placements (OOHP) and child protective service (CPS) re-referrals. Overall, 17.3% of parent-child dyads experienced OOHP and 24% CPS re-referrals. Fourteen percent of FBR-assigned dyads experienced an OOHP compared to 24% of TAU dyads. There were no differences in the CPS re-referral outcome by group assignment (FBR: 23.9%; TAU: 24.2%). Cox Proportional Regression results showed adjusted hazard rates of OOHP for FBR-assigned dyads were half compared to TAU-assigned dyads (.52, 95% CI [.32, .85], p = .009). Survival curves showed FBR had fewer dyads with OOHP episodes, and the OOHP event was statistically delayed compared to those assigned to TAU (Wald X² = 6.89; p = .009). Hazard rates of CPS re-referrals were similar for both groups, and no differences were found in the survival curves for CPS re-referrals between FBR and TAU. Results indicate that FBR is an effective model for caregivers experiencing SUD while reducing the likelihood of OOHP.

Parents with intellectual disabilities are disproportionately represented within child welfare systems in the US. Meanwhile, there is evidence to suggest that this is a sizeable population, and child welfare systems encounter challenges in meeting families' needs. This study examines the potential efficacy of Project IMPACT, an intensive, in-home parent training program designed for parents with intellectual disabilities who have child welfare involvement. The aim of the program is to prevent family separation by improving parenting skills. The sample included 134 families who had participated in Project IMPACT and 355 families from a neighboring state who also had child welfare involvement. All families included a parent with intellectual disabilities. Treatment effects analysis was used to compare parents participating in Project IMPACT with a similar group of untreated parents. Logistic regression was used to identify between-group differences in family separation. Post-hoc analysis explored which families might benefit most from Project IMPACT. Project IMPACT families were 486% more likely to remain intact one year after program completion than untreated families. Effects were strongest for families with the youngest children. Child welfare systems should prioritize the implementation of evidence-informed interventions that tailor services to parents' distinct needs and learning styles. By providing effective preventive interventions, programs such as Project IMPACT can focus on keeping children safe at home while preventing family separation.