TY - JOUR
T1 - What Does Child Protective Services Investigate as Neglect? A Population-Based Study
AU - Palmer, Lindsey
AU - Font, Sarah
AU - Eastman, Andrea Lane
AU - Guo, Lillie
AU - Putnam-Hornstein, Emily
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - Most child protective services (CPS) investigations involve allegations of neglect. Broad and vague definitions have led to concerns that CPS-investigated neglect is driven by poverty-based material hardship. In a representative sample of 295 neglect investigations in California in 2017, structured data and narrative text fields were used to characterize the types of neglect and concurrent parental risk factors investigated by CPS and to assess the rate and nature of investigated physical neglect, defined as inadequate food, housing, or hygiene. The most common types of neglect were inadequate supervision (44%) and failure to protect (29%), followed by physical neglect (14%). Common risk factors identified in neglect investigations were parental substance use (41%), domestic violence (21%), mental illness (18%), and co-reported physical or sexual abuse (29%). Nearly all investigations of physical neglect (99%) included concerns related to substance use, domestic violence, mental illness, co-reported abuse or an additional neglect allegation (i.e., abandonment). Given concerns identified in neglect investigations, economic supports are likely insufficient without an array of behavioral-health supports.
AB - Most child protective services (CPS) investigations involve allegations of neglect. Broad and vague definitions have led to concerns that CPS-investigated neglect is driven by poverty-based material hardship. In a representative sample of 295 neglect investigations in California in 2017, structured data and narrative text fields were used to characterize the types of neglect and concurrent parental risk factors investigated by CPS and to assess the rate and nature of investigated physical neglect, defined as inadequate food, housing, or hygiene. The most common types of neglect were inadequate supervision (44%) and failure to protect (29%), followed by physical neglect (14%). Common risk factors identified in neglect investigations were parental substance use (41%), domestic violence (21%), mental illness (18%), and co-reported physical or sexual abuse (29%). Nearly all investigations of physical neglect (99%) included concerns related to substance use, domestic violence, mental illness, co-reported abuse or an additional neglect allegation (i.e., abandonment). Given concerns identified in neglect investigations, economic supports are likely insufficient without an array of behavioral-health supports.
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U2 - 10.1177/10775595221114144
DO - 10.1177/10775595221114144
M3 - Article
C2 - 35829657
AN - SCOPUS:85134239210
SN - 1077-5595
VL - 29
SP - 96
EP - 105
JO - Child Maltreatment
JF - Child Maltreatment
IS - 1
ER -