RE: child maltreatment and economic hard times

["Walter Fahr" <wfahr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Melissa,

I would predict that there is going to be a significant decrease in accepted child maltreatment reports by CPS agencies, primarily because of budget cuts. With the significant economic downturn, decrease in State and Federal revenue, and reduced funds for child welfare,  child welfare agencies around the country will most likely reduce the number of staff. The reduced number of staff to investigate, assess, and provide services for family will most logically lead to a triaging  or prioritization of what cases can be handled. I think the end result will be fewer cases accepted for intervention. 

I would further predict that differential response cases will show the largest decline because these cases, at intake, are of low or moderate risk. If staff shortages occur, the lower risk child maltreatment cases will be the most likely target of policy changes. I think this projected pattern of fewer accepted cases, if it occurs over time,  will eventually affect rates(downward) of reported child maltreatment, because reporters will become more reluctant to report.  

Walter  

Walter G. Fahr, LCSW
Program Manager-Child Protective Services
Office of Community Services
State of Louisiana
      (225)342-6832
fax (225)342-9087
wfahr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

>>> "Brodowski, Melissa (ACF)" <melissa.brodowski@xxxxxxxxxxx> 12/4/2008 10:35 PM >>>
Hi everyone - 
 
I have a couple of related questions to Tom Hanna's posting.  Our CAPTA Title II state prevention grantee from Colorado is working on a project examining increases in violence (child maltreatment, sexual assault, suicide and unintentional injury) during hard economic times -- quite timely right now.
 
We know there's data and research showing the linkages between poverty and child maltreatment (and being at-risk).  The National Incidence Study-3 findings demonstrate that family income was significantly related to incidence rates in nearly every category of maltreatment. Compared to children whose families earned $30,000 per year or more, those in families with annual incomes below $15,000 per year were more than 22 times more likely to experience some form of maltreatment under the Harm Standard (and over 25 times more likely to suffer maltreatment of some type using the Endangerment Standard).  This is consistent with the findings of many different studies that children do not fare well in poorer families compared to nonpoor families.  For more information on NIS-3 visit: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/statsinfo/nis3.cfm#family <http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/statsinfo/nis3.cfm#family>   (and NIS-4 should be coming out soon to update this information)
 
I also emailed Ying-Ying Yuan who manages the technical assistance contract for our National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS).  She reminded me that in Beyond Common Sense, they showed that in poorer counties, there were higher rates of maltreatment. She added that since CPS decisions about maltreatment are related to reporting, it is highly likely that increases in maltreatment will be found due to poverty IF reporting increases. In periods of economic stress, reporting may increase or it may decrease.   
 
So-- the questions I wanted to pose to the listserve are:

*	
	Are you aware of any resources/research linking economic hard times and increases in child maltreatment? Are there studies that show any shifts/ trends in the incidence/ prevalence over time?
*	
	Do you have thoughts about whether there might be a decrease in the reporting rates and/or child victimization rates because families being diverted to other services or because of differential response systems for CPS that have developed in many places across the country? Are there studies that have examined this?

Thanks for your help with this.

Melissa

Melissa Lim Brodowski, MSW, MPH
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Children's Bureau, ACYF, ACF, HHS
1250 Maryland Avenue SW
Portals Building, 8th Floor #8127
Washington, DC 20024
phone:  202-205-2629
fax:  202-260-9345
email: melissa.brodowski@xxxxxxxxxxx 
 
 

________________________________

From: bounce-3361204-6833993@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Tom Hanna
Sent: Thu 12/4/2008 7:08 PM
To: child-maltreatment-research-l@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Subject: What do Today's Neglect Cases Look Like?



Dear Colleagues:

I have some anecdotal reports that child neglect has recently become
a bigger issue in some populations, and that the nature of the new
neglect patterns may relate to "modern" stressors.  Nothing specific,
but I am wondering -- what neglect issues are you seeing or hearing
about now, and are they any different than what you saw 5 years ago?

Are there any key papers I should be consulting? Especially on shifts
in incidence patterns, or in proven prevention strategies in direct
service and/or in public awareness campaigns?

I am hoping to apply what I learn to public awareness campaigns in
the next few months -- and maybe this will be of use to all of us in
developing research strategies on both the intervention and
prevention sides of the neglect picture.

Any input appreciated.

--Thanks
--Tom

--
--
Tom Hanna, Director
Child Abuse Prevention Network
www.child-abuse.com 
tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
tph3@xxxxxxxxxxx 
off 607.275.9360
cel 607.227.4524
fax: 415.962.0510
--