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Substantiated Child Maltreatment: Which factors do workers focus on when making this critical decision?

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  • Stoddart, J.K.
  • Fallon, B.
  • Trocmé, N.
  • Fluke, J.

Abstract

The decision to substantiate child maltreatment is one of the many complex decisions workers must make daily. Utilizing data from the Ontario Incidence study 2013, this paper examines what child, family and environmental characteristics workers paid attention to when making the determination that a child had experienced maltreatment. This study adds to the Canadian body of research on factors that influence the decision to substantiate maltreatment by exploring the Ontario population. Caregiver risk factors, uncooperative parents, older children, and children with emotional or mental health concerns all increase the likelihood of substantiation. The decision to substantiate current maltreatment was strongly influenced by the workers' assessment of the future risk of maltreatment. Further research is need to explore worker and organizational factors that also influence this risk focus and how much of an influence the current risk assessment tools have on the workers' assessment of future risk and substantiation.

Suggested Citation

  • Stoddart, J.K. & Fallon, B. & Trocmé, N. & Fluke, J., 2018. "Substantiated Child Maltreatment: Which factors do workers focus on when making this critical decision?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-8.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:87:y:2018:i:c:p:1-8
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.01.018
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    1. English, Diana J. & Marshall, David B. & Coghlan, Laura & Brummel, Sherry & Orme, Matthew, 2002. "Causes and Consequences of the Substantiation Decision in Washington State Child Protective Services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(11), pages 817-851, November.
    2. Dettlaff, Alan J. & Rivaux, Stephanie L. & Baumann, Donald J. & Fluke, John D. & Rycraft, Joan R. & James, Joyce, 2011. "Disentangling substantiation: The influence of race, income, and risk on the substantiation decision in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1630-1637, September.
    3. Williams, Gabriela & Tonmyr, Lil & Jack, Susan M. & Fallon, Barbara & MacMillan, Harriet L., 2011. "Determinants of maltreatment substantiation in a sample of infants involved with the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1345-1353, August.
    4. Arad-Davidzon, Bilhah & Benbenishty, Rami, 2008. "The role of workers' attitudes and parent and child wishes in child protection workers' assessments and recommendation regarding removal and reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 107-121, January.
    5. Cheng, Tyrone C. & Lo, Celia C., 2013. "Racial disparity in risk factors for substantiation of child maltreatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 1962-1969.
    6. Jent, Jason F. & Eaton, Cyd K. & Knickerbocker, Lauren & Lambert, Walter F. & Merrick, Melissa T. & Dandes, Susan K., 2011. "Multidisciplinary child protection decision making about physical abuse: Determining substantiation thresholds and biases," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1673-1682, September.
    7. Kahn, Jessica M. & Schwalbe, Craig, 2010. "The timing to and risk factors associated with child welfare system recidivism at two decision-making points," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(7), pages 1035-1044, July.
    8. Sinha, Vandna & Ellenbogen, Stephen & Trocmé, Nico, 2013. "Substantiating neglect of first nations and non-aboriginal children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2080-2090.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robichaud, Marie-Joëlle & Pullen Sansfaçon, Annie & Poirier, Marie-Andrée, 2020. "Decision making at substantiation in cases involving racialized families: Child protection workers’ perceptions of influential factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Vis, Svein Arild & Lauritzen, Camilla & Fluke, John, 2021. "Screening decisions for non-abuse concerns reported to child protection agencies- a structural equation model for referral content and decision outcome," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    3. Esposito, Tonino & Chabot, Martin & Caldwell, Johanna & Webb, Calum & Delaye, Ashleigh & Fluke, John D. & Trocmé, Nico & Bywaters, Paul, 2022. "The differential association of socioeconomic vulnerabilities and neglect-related child protection involvement across geographies: Multilevel structural equation modeling," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. King, Bryn & Black, Tara & Fallon, Barbara & Lung, Yu, 2021. "The role of risk in child welfare decision-making: A prospective cohort examination of families transferred to ongoing child protection services after an investigation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    5. Geoff Debelle & Nikolaos Efstathiou & Rafiyah Khan & Annette Williamson & Manjit Summan & Julie Taylor, 2022. "The Typology and Topography of Child Abuse and Neglect: The Experience of a Tertiary Children’s Centre," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-17, July.

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