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Abstract: Abstract It is well established that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are over-represented in Australian child protection and out-of-home care systems. Despite this, there has been limited analysis of their exit from care pathways. This study, based on interviews with 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth from Victoria and Western Australia (who were a sub-set of a larger study of 34 care leavers), examined their transition experiences and outcomes in relation to accessing stable and affordable housing. While all care leavers spoke of poor or non-existent transition planning, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants were more likely to report incidences of homelessness and more complex experiences in a range of areas. Importantly, the group identified a need for culturally appropriate service models which built on and enhanced cultural and kinship connections. PubDate: 2022-04-24
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Abstract: Abstract Trauma-informed care has become the gold standard for treating children and families who have been exposed to traumatic events. However, it is not always clear to practitioners what such care involves. This article describes a training program for professionals designed by the Haruv Institute in Jerusalem, Israel, which teaches the elements of trauma-informed interventions. The program includes theoretical knowledge regarding trauma and its effects on children and parents and parenting, as well as skills that may be employed when working with this population. It is presented as a toolkit whose various elements may be added to the professional’s therapeutic repertoire. This training program has been well received and, for many, is considered a “game changer” regarding how professionals see their therapeutic role. However, it often creates a need for more intensive training in some of the elements of the intervention, such as talking with children about trauma, psycho-educational groups, and interventions that promote emotional regulation. Thus, the trauma-informed training program may be seen as a base to which additional, more advanced training modules may be added. PubDate: 2022-03-03 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-022-00114-z
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Abstract: Abstract This invited commentary considers how the cultural context matters in understanding child maltreatment. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00100-x
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Abstract: Abstract The sexual abuse of children is an under-reported offence in India. In reality, child sexual abuse has outreached to epidemic status. The present study aims to explore how much police efficiency and other social, economic and demographic factors influence child sexual abuse, registered under the “Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)” Act, for Indian states and union territory. The study is entirely based on the latest available cross-sectional secondary data mainly compiled from National Crime Record Bureau, India, for 2018. The empirical analysis is facilitated by utilising “data envelopment analysis”, “ordinary least square regression” and “quantile regression”. The empirical results suggest that higher police efficiency helps in reducing reported POCSO incidences. The quantile regression analysis reveals a paradoxical result that a higher literacy rate enhances reported POCSO incidences. The children are found to be vulnerable to the crime committed by the known persons. This effect is found to be stronger in the upper quantile of depression than the median quantile. The study ends with suitable policy suggestions. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00104-7
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Abstract: Abstract Child maltreatment is a public health problem of considerable magnitude. Though substantial progress has been made in the prevention of child maltreatment, one incident of maltreatment is one too many. Intervention and/or prevention efforts must always be dynamic. In this commentary, we highlight recent prevention and policy efforts in the United States, using SafeCare, an evidence-based parent support program with a focus on the prevention of neglect, as an example. We describe broad-scale implementation efforts and offer a vision for what the field must do to realize public heath impact, highlighting recent advances of parent support models in policy, advocacy, and programs. Strategies that might improve current efforts are suggested to ensure the field not become static. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00090-w
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Abstract: Abstract Adolescents’ willingness to disclose violence in romantic relationships has important implications for their safety and overall well-being. However, research is limited on adolescent intentions to seek help for dating violence. Using self-report data from 493 rural youth (54% male, 49.7% African American), this study examined heterogeneity of adolescent help-seeking in relation to different forms of violence and sources of potential disclosure. Latent class analyses identified four distinct groups of adolescents: (a) multi-help-seekers (20.5%) who are likely to seek help for any form of dating violence from multiple sources, (b) reluctant help-seekers (21.1%) who are unlikely to seek help for any form of violence from any source, (c) informal help-seekers (28.8%) who are willing to disclose dating violence primarily to caregivers and friends, and (d) selective help-seekers (29.5%) with varied intentions to disclose some forms of violence to select people. Results further revealed that class membership was differentially related to gender and caregiver’s level of education. Additionally, findings confirmed expectations that variation in adolescent well-being and safety measures was a function of membership in help-seeking classes. The article discusses these findings in the context of targeted programs and services to promote help-seeking among rural youth. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00098-2
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Abstract: Abstract When paramedics attend incidents of domestic violence, and children are present, they are simultaneously positioned to identify and respond to children exposed to domestic violence. Few paramedics report children exposed to domestic violence to either domestic violence or child protection services, typically citing uncertainty over reporting and referral responsibility. The spectrum of repercussions for children creates challenges as well as opportunities for paramedics to be educated and trained on optimal ways to respond. This article considers the role of the paramedic when they encounter children exposed to domestic violence. It is informed by research on parental characteristics related to mental illness, drug and alcohol misuse and domestic violence that often accompany other forms of child maltreatment. The article reports the results of a qualitative study of Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics, examining challenges and barriers impacting paramedics when they encounter children exposed to domestic violence. Research participants revealed key barriers to effective responses, these included breaching the privacy of families, their interpretation of mandatory reporting laws, limited time on scene and uncertainty on how to respond based on an absence of clear policy guidelines and training on child maltreatment in the context of domestic violence. Analysis of the experiences, and the ways paramedics understand child exposure to domestic violence, provides an opportunity to consider strategies to respond in such situations. Recommendations are made for ambulance services to develop policy incorporating education and training on the role of paramedics when they encounter children exposed to domestic violence. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00091-9
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Abstract: Abstract Research shows that parents with a history of child abuse are at risk of perpetuating the cycle of abuse; however, exploration of intervention content is still a neglected area. This qualitative study identifies intervention components and corresponding mechanisms of change of parenting interventions to prevent intergenerational child abuse. Interviews with ten heads of interventions from the UK and USA were coded using deductive framework analysis. The Behaviour Change Technique (BCT) Taxonomy and Behaviour Change Wheel were used to code intervention components including BCTs and intervention functions. Mechanisms of change were coded using the Theoretical Domains Framework. Twelve BCTs and eight intervention functions were identified including education, enablement and training delivered through BCTs of instruction on how to perform a behaviour, restructuring the environment and social support. Corresponding mechanisms of change include behaviour regulation, knowledge and social influences, among others. This study offers insight into targeting and tailoring services to improve outcomes for parents with a history of child abuse. Findings suggest that there are possible mechanisms through which vulnerable parents can be helped to break the cycle of abuse including promoting social support, regulating parents’ behaviour through trauma-informed approaches and enhancing knowledge, self-esteem and confidence in parenting. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00103-8
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Abstract: Abstract Identifying and responding to the mental health needs of young children (0–4 years) exposed to intimate partner violence is one of the most pressing issues confronting child mental health and welfare sectors today. Children exposed to IPV (CEIPV) are at an increased risk of experiencing maltreatment, developing emotional and behavioral problems, and experiencing other adversities (Kimball, Journal of Family Violence, 31, 625–637, 2016). Among the range of protective factors that can mitigate against this impact is a strong relationship with, and attachment to, a primary caregiver (Holt, Buckley, & Whelan, Child Abuse & Neglect, 32, 797–810, 2008). Despite this, there are few evidenced-based programs which address the unique parenting supports required by women who experience domestic violence, while simultaneously attending to the unique developmental and psycho-social needs of exposed young children (Austin, Shanahan, Barrios, & Macy, Trauma, Violence and Abuse, 20(4), 498–519, 2019). This article describes the development and preliminary evaluation of Mothers in Mind, a trauma-informed, dyadic, mother–child intervention program designed to meet this need. Analyses of data from 36 mother–child dyads who completed pre- and post-group evaluation find that, after program completion, mothers report greater parenting self-efficacy, healthier parenting, and enhanced psychological well-being. The importance of relational capacity building in mother–child dyads impacted by violence and suggestions for future avenues for research and intervention are explored. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00094-6
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Abstract: Abstract The Irish Government pledged to reducing the prevalence of child maltreatment under the WHO Regional Committee for Europe plan on reducing child maltreatment. As a first step towards a rights-based and public health approach to maltreatment prevention, the WHO plan recommends making child maltreatment more visible across the region, with better surveillance through the use of national surveys that use standardized, validated instruments. We review the policy context, present current Irish data holdings, and outline some of the complexities reported in the literature concerning various surveillance methods in the context of the proposal to establish and maintain a surveillance system for child maltreatment in Ireland. Conclusions highlight the need for Ireland to adopting an approach to surveillance as soon as it is feasible. The paper outlines how such a programme is necessary to address the current absence of evidence on which prevention policies can be developed and to compliment the current child protection system. Drawing on a review of current methods in use internationally, we outline options for an Irish child maltreatment surveillance programme. PubDate: 2022-03-01 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00097-3
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Abstract: Abstract This commentary highlights several challenges concerning the conceptualization of child neglect and the approach to this prevalent problem, with the goal of stimulating further thought and hopefully action. Examples include consideration of potential harm, the role of culture, intentionality, and new forms of neglect related to new knowledge of children’s needs. Assessment of possible neglect, interviewing children, use of motivational interviewing, and the importance of identifying families’ strengths are additional issues. Finally, the commentary addresses alternative response systems, resilience, prevention, and advocacy. We suggest ways to tackle these challenges. PubDate: 2022-02-16 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-022-00113-0
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Abstract: Abstract Recent anti-racist, equity, and social justice discourse in child welfare has centered on a restructured, reimagined, or abolished system. We add our scholarship and recommendations to this discourse by focusing on Alaska Native and African American children because these two populations have had an ongoing disproportionate number of children in out-of-home care. We provide an overview of the history that implicates western-based colonial policies and practices. We have also identified how a system invested in child removal is problematic and discuss what attempts have been made to change child welfare. We propose a framework to guide systems change within child welfare that is rooted in connectedness. The hope is that the application of this framework can improve outcomes for children and families of color. PubDate: 2022-02-14 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00105-6
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Abstract: Abstract Although the relationship between caregiver substance use disorder (SUD) and child maltreatment has been well established, much of this knowledge been based on administrative data such as child welfare and protection services or retrospective reports of adults. These relationships also need to be examined in the context of a range of linked non-victimization adversities, such as having caregivers who always argue and exposure to suicide. The goal of this study was to assess the associations between diagnosed caregiver SUD and youth self-reported experience of maltreatment in the context of non-victimization adversities. Three national cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2008, 2011, and 2014, resulting in a pooled sample of 6364 youth (48.8% female), ages 10‑17 years, residing in the USA. Among all youth, 6.8% had at least one caregiver with a SUD: 3.7% had a father only; 2.1% a mother only; and 1% had both with a SUD. Compared to no SUD, the expected child maltreatment count for father only SUD increased by a coefficient of .49 (p < .001), for mother only it increased by .73 (p < .001), and for both caregivers it increased by .79 (p < .001). After taking into account number of non-victimization adversities, the relationships between father only and months only SUD and child maltreatment became non-significant while having both caregivers with SUD remained significant (.72, p < .001). Findings support the need for a more comprehensive approach to the prevention and intervention of child maltreatment that encompasses the intersection and accumulation of stressors that are linked to caregiver SUD. PubDate: 2022-02-03 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-022-00112-1
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Abstract: Abstract The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) is the only source of nationally aggregated information on investigated child maltreatment in Canada. This paper presents major findings from the most recent cycle of the study, the CIS-2019. Multi-staged sampling was used to select a representative sample of child welfare agencies. A 3-month sampling period was used, and data were collected from investigating child welfare workers. Complex survey design weights were applied to the selected cases to derive an annualized national estimate of maltreatment-related investigations. Due to provincial-level differences in capacity and study funding, Ontario data were collected in 2018, and separate data collection procedures were used in Quebec. An estimated 299,171 investigations were conducted in Canada in 2019 (48.22 investigations per 1000 children). Thirty-four percent of these investigations were for substantiated maltreatment, and exposure to intimate partner violence was the most frequently noted subtype of substantiated maltreatment. Four percent of substantiated investigations involved physical harm to the child, and 35% involved emotional harm. Twenty percent of investigations were transferred to ongoing child welfare services, and an out-of-home placement was made in 5% of investigations. The rate of investigations in Canada in 2019 was higher than those reported in previous CIS cycles and in Australian and American studies. The data from the CIS-2019 fill a gap in knowledge with respect to child welfare services in Canada and will be foundational for the development of policies related to protecting children and promoting their well-being. PubDate: 2022-01-27 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00110-9
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Abstract: Abstract Child maltreatment is a poorly recognized phenomenon worldwide, and many pediatric healthcare professionals do not receive adequate training in child abuse and neglect evaluations. In response to the paucity of child maltreatment literature on low- to middle-income countries, this study aims to determine the education and training needs of medical professionals at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali (CHUK) with respect to child abuse and neglect identification, investigation, evaluation, and case management. Data collection took place in July and August 2019 at CHUK in Kigali, Rwanda. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including semi-structured qualitative interviews with sixteen healthcare professionals (3 pediatricians, 7 pediatric residents, 2 nurses, and 4 social workers) at CHUK and a systematic chart review of child maltreatment cases evaluated at the hospital from July 2015 to July 2019. Interviews with professionals revealed perceived gaps in training regarding child maltreatment case evaluation, reporting, and management. Study participants noted the need for standardized, hospital-wide protocols for the handling of confirmed abuse and neglect cases as well as expanded curriculum on the topic throughout professional education. Chart reviews demonstrated inconsistent and sparse documentation of maltreatment cases in hospital records. In conjunction with our findings, we provide informant-based suggestions for the improvement of child abuse and neglect case management at CHUK, including consistent training modules, inter-departmental collaboration, and systematic documentation. Beyond the hospital, participants widely agreed that child maltreatment awareness and prevention measures should be implemented at the community level with professionals from CHUK getting involved in local efforts. PubDate: 2022-01-20 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00107-4
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Abstract: Abstract The definition of child maltreatment (CM) has a direct impact on operationalization in research, on practice, and on policy formulation. While children are the main focus of the field of CM, it seems that their voices are rarely heard and that they have been excluded from the research and the process of formulating the definition of CM. The current study strives to bring to the forefront the general population of children’s perception of physical and emotional maltreatment and to gain an understanding regarding the differences and similarities of children’s perceptions and the current professional and academic perceptions of the phenomenon. Data was collected from 4 and 6th graders in 30 different schools in Israel: 21 Jewish schools and 9 Arab schools. In total, 2,536 children responded to a questionnaire composed of closed questions only and rated which parental behaviors are considered physical or emotional maltreatment. The research findings clearly indicate that children are reliable and important sources of knowledge regarding the phenomenon of CM. It seems that while they differentiate between parental discipline and CM in a similar way to the current professional view, they view the severity of CM—especially emotional maltreatment—in a way that differs from the common professional views. Moreover, the research shows that there are differences in the severity perceptions among different subgroups of children, for example, Arab and Jewish children and boys and girls. PubDate: 2022-01-13 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00108-3
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Abstract: Abstract Parents face various stressors in their daily lives, and their child discipline practices are likely to be affected by the stressors. Existing research suggests that parental stress is a significant contributor to child maltreatment, but more research is needed, particularly among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families. This study examined the relationship between economic hardship and aggravation in parenting and three types of child maltreatment (i.e., psychological aggression, physical assault, and neglect) in AAPI families through secondary data analysis of a longitudinal de-identified data set. This study analyzed a sample size of 146 AAPI children, with mothers as the primary caregiver. Economic hardship was positively associated with psychological aggression (β = 3.104, p < .01) and physical assault (β = 1.803, p < .05). Aggravation in parenting was positively associated with neglect (β = 0.884, p < .05). The findings suggest that AAPI parents are more likely to use certain child maltreatment methods when they experience specific stressors. Researchers and practitioners should consider the various stressors that AAPI families face and how other social or economic challenges can compound these stressors. PubDate: 2022-01-08 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00111-8
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Abstract: Abstract We conducted a longitudinal observational study of 9873 micro-neighborhoods in a Midwestern city from 2015 to 2018 and estimated multilevel zero-inflated negative binomial models to evaluate if seasonal lawn maintenance of vacant properties was associated with a reduction in microneighborhoods’ annual summer maltreatment rates. We found a between-micro-neighborhood effect of maintenance whereby micro-neighborhoods where the entire area was maintained for the full duration of all summers had a maltreatment rate 0.43 (95% CI 0.25, 0.73) times that of micro-neighborhoods that received no maintenance. We also found a within-micro-neighborhood effect, whereby when a given micro-neighborhood had the entire area maintained the full duration of a summer, it was expected to have a maltreatment rate 0.43 (95% CI 0.19, 0.97) times that of when the same micro-neighborhood had no area maintained. Future cluster-randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if this association is causal. PubDate: 2022-01-08 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00109-2
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Abstract: Abstract When young people come to harm in extra-familial contexts, professionals may move them a distance from their home community to protect them, and in doing so disrupt relationships in which they have encountered harm. However, relocations can also fracture young people’s protective relationships with family, peers, and professionals; relationships that have been positioned as targets for intervention in cases of extra-familial harm. The extent to which these relationships are considered during relocations is under-explored. Utilising semi-structured interviews with 16 social work professionals in England and Wales, we assessed their accounts of using relationships prior to, during, and following relocations in cases of extra-familial harm. Three themes emerged: using relationships during relocations to provide consistency, to collaborate, and to create safety. Professional accounts prioritised young people’s relationships with practitioners, over relationships with families, peers, and their wider communities, when using/seeking opportunities to offer consistency and to collaborate on safety plans. They also depicted a struggle to engage with the complex web of family, peer, and community relationships associated to young people’s protection in both their home communities and those they had been moved to; relationships that were critical for creating safety. Implications for practice and future research are discussed, highlighting the potential merits of offering integrated research and practice frameworks that hold together young people’s relationships with families, peers, communities, and professionals, in response to extra-familial harm. PubDate: 2021-12-21 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-021-00106-5
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