The largest study in the United States to examine how economic resources effect child welfare system involvement
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Study Background
Research over the last 20 years has identified that when families experience economic hardship they struggle to provide safe and consistent care for their children, leading to reports of child maltreatment. However, how best to increase resources, by how much, and for how long are primary and, as of yet, unanswered questions for the design and implementation of new interventions. In the United States, involvement with the child welfare system is a common experience. Approximately 37.4% of all children, and 53% of Black children, will experience a Child Protective Services investigation by the time they turn 18 years old (Kim et. al., 2017). Both nationally and in Illinois rates of child neglect, which comprise as much as 70% of all child maltreatment reports, have been persistently high even as prevention and intervention efforts have reduced rates of child abuse. Similarly, each year a substantial proportion of families return to the child welfare system. In Illinois, approximately 18% of families who receive Intact Family Services will have a second substantiated allegation of child maltreatment within 12 months. While existing interventions have an important place in prevention and treatment efforts, it is time for new approaches to reduce the number of children experiencing neglect and families experiencing repeat involvement with child welfare systems. |