Publication year
2017
Citation Title
The impact of family engagement and child welfare services on maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports.
Journal Name
Child Maltreatment
Journal Volume
22
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
183-193
DOI
10.1177/1077559517709996
Summary
Child welfare services have the potential to decrease the risk of child maltreatment re-occurrence. This study analyzed data from a statewide evaluation of child protective services (CPS). The purpose of the study was to investigate the associations between child welfare services, family engagement, and child maltreatment re-reports (incidents that were either substantiated or not) and substantiated re-reports (re-reports in which at least one allegation was verified). Results revealed that family engagement and child welfare services had an effect on preventing child maltreatment re-occurrence one year after the service.
Key Findings
Child welfare services' duration and intensity were not related to child maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports.
The higher level of service-need match (the number of each family's needs that were addressed by the service) was associated with lower level of child maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports.
Families' increased engagement was associated with the decrease of child maltreatment risk.
Implications for Military Professionals
Provide continuous guidance and assistance (e.g., teaching parenting skills) to military families that have a history of child maltreatment
Collaborate with civilian professionals to offer military families innovative preventative interventions (e.g., support groups) in order to reduce negative child outcomes after maltreatment
Implications for Program Leaders
Teach Service members and their spouses about healthy interpretations of child behaviors to reduce the risk of child maltreatment
Offer workshops for military parents to increase their parenting skills and decrease the likelihood of child maltreatment
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage training for professionals who work with military families on ways of preventing child maltreatment perpetrated by military parents
Encourage further research that focuses on child maltreatment prevention in military families
Methods
Data were collected from two sources in Illinois: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) and case-specific child protection services (CPS) reports for each family.
Child welfare service variables included the number of contacts between CPS workers and families, service-needs match, and family engagement, all reported by CPS workers; outcomes variables included maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports within one year following the initial CPS response close date.
Data were analyzed to examine the associations between child welfare services, family engagement, and maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports.
Participants
The sample included 4,868 families with screened-in child maltreatment reports (child maltreatment cases that meet the criteria for a CPS response) between November 2010 and May 2012.
Most families had one (58%) or two parents (34%), whereas 8% of the families had no parent (the children were living with their grandparents or legal guardians); the average age of the youngest children from these families was 6.3 years (SD = 5).
The majority of the sample were White (57%), followed by Black (30%) and Latino (13%).
Limitations
The measures of service-need match and family engagement were from CPS workers' perspectives, so they may not represent the families' views.
Data were collected from one state (Illinois) only; therefore, caution must be taken when generalizing the results to other states which have different CPS systems.
CPS workers may feel pressured to report more family engagement and fewer unmet needs than there really were; therefore, the results may be influenced by social desirability bias.
Avenues for Future Research
Conduct the study in different states to increase the generalizability of the results
Collect data not only from official sources such as CPS but also from families so that parents' and children's perspectives could be addressed
Conduct longitudinal study to examine whether the associations between service-need match, family engagement, and child maltreatment re-reports remain over time
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Despite decades of debate about the most effective ways to intervene with families reported to child protective services (CPS), little evidence exists regarding the types of services or approach that reduce children’s risk of additional maltreatment. The current study used data collected during a statewide experimental evaluation of CPS to examine the impact of numerous service variables, family engagement, and family characteristics on the risk of maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports among families initially reported for neglect and risk of harm. The sample included 4,868 families with screened-in reports that were randomly assigned to receive either an investigation or an assessment. The results of the Cox regression analyses found that service duration, intensity, and breadth were unrelated to maltreatment re-report or substantiated re-reports, but caseworker ratings of the service-need match were associated with both. The provision of domestic violence services was related to decreased risk of maltreatment re-reports. Increased levels of family engagement were associated with lowered risk of both maltreatment re-reports and substantiated re-reports. Once the effects of services, engagement, and family characteristics were taken into account, CPS response pathway (investigation or assessment) had no relationship to maltreatment re-reports or substantiated re-reports.
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