TY - JOUR
T1 - Inadequate housing and the child protection system response
AU - Font, Sarah A.
AU - Warren, Emily J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Given the prevalence of inadequate housing among families involved in CPS, our results highlight the need for further integration of housing and CPS services. This may be particularly true for CPS-involved families in which the caregiver is a domestic violence victim, to ensure that the often complex combination of issues families face are adequately served, including housing instability. The extent to which CPS workers have adequate knowledge about housing policy and services to provide assistance to inadequately-housed families is unclear; or whether funds are available within agencies to provide housing services. Consequently, others have previously proposed that partnerships between CPS and housing agencies should be more intentionally sought out, and we support these types of recommendations ( Culhane et al., 2003; Harburger, 2004; Park et al., 2004 ). One policy response to support collaboration between CPS and housing agencies has been the Family Unification Program (FUP), funded by the Department of Urban Development, which provides Housing Choice Vouchers to eligible families for whom inadequate housing was the primary reason for their child's out-of-home placement. While outcome evaluations have indicated that the vast majority of families housed through the program remain housed one year later, funding for the program is available through a competitive grant process and limited to a relatively small number of Public Housing Authorities ( Rog, Glibert-Mongelli, & Lundy, 1998 ). Despite these often limited and underfunded partnerships, CPS workers appear to be thinking about inadequate housing among low-income families in an appropriate way in trying to separate symptoms of poverty from risk factors for abuse and neglect.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Involvement with child protective services (CPS) is common among families experiencing inadequate housing conditions. As with other issues of material deprivation, inadequate housing is an area where the distinction between neglect and poverty is difficult to ascertain, and the response of the child protection system to inadequately-housed families is largely understudied. This study uses a nationally representative sample of child protection investigations to explore the associations between two types of inadequate housing-doubling up and experiences of homelessness-and system outcomes. Specially, we identify that, after accounting for other risk factors, inadequate housing is significantly associated with the receipt of services, but not directly associated with either substantiation or case closure. Moreover, housing concerns may have a different association with case outcomes when interacted with other risk factors, specifically mental health and substance abuse, and domestic violence. Overall, results suggest that, while child protection workers do not view inadequate housing as neglect in and of itself, they do identify housing issues as a service need.
AB - Involvement with child protective services (CPS) is common among families experiencing inadequate housing conditions. As with other issues of material deprivation, inadequate housing is an area where the distinction between neglect and poverty is difficult to ascertain, and the response of the child protection system to inadequately-housed families is largely understudied. This study uses a nationally representative sample of child protection investigations to explore the associations between two types of inadequate housing-doubling up and experiences of homelessness-and system outcomes. Specially, we identify that, after accounting for other risk factors, inadequate housing is significantly associated with the receipt of services, but not directly associated with either substantiation or case closure. Moreover, housing concerns may have a different association with case outcomes when interacted with other risk factors, specifically mental health and substance abuse, and domestic violence. Overall, results suggest that, while child protection workers do not view inadequate housing as neglect in and of itself, they do identify housing issues as a service need.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.08.012
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.08.012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84884410973
SN - 0190-7409
VL - 35
SP - 1809
EP - 1815
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
IS - 11
ER -
