Canadian Child Welfare System Response to Exposure to Domestic Violence Investigations

• NCJ Number: 222654
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 32 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2008 Pages: 393-404
• Author(s): Tara Black; Nico Trocme; Barbara Fallon; Bruce MacLaurin
• Date Published: March 2008
• Length: 12 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Public Health Agency of Canada
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the Canadian child welfare system's response to child maltreatment investigations substantiated for exposure to domestic violence.

Abstract

Results indicate that the child welfare system's response to cases involving exposure to domestic violence largely depends on whether it occurs in isolation or with another form of maltreatment. Children and maternal caregivers who were subject to investigations involving substantiated exposure to domestic violence were less symptomatic than those of investigations involving other forms of maltreatment. Whether children and female caregivers are less symptomatic because exposure to domestic violence is less detrimental to its victims, or whether the focus of the child welfare system's response to these investigations places more emphasis on substantiation rather than assessment could not be determined by this study. Investigations involving substantiated exposure to domestic violence had the lowest provisions of ongoing child welfare services, such as keeping the case open for service. The child welfare system tends not to engage the family, instead opting for the closing of the cases that involve exposure to domestic violence (64 percent of the time). Children who are the subject of investigations involving substantiated exposure to domestic violence are less likely to be removed from their home than children experiencing other forms of maltreatment. Welfare placement is less frequent for children involved in investigations for exposure to domestic violence; only 2 percent of children are placed. The response of the child welfare system for children who are the subject of an investigation involving both substantiated exposure to domestic violence and another form of substantiated maltreatment involves more resources. Investigations involving co-occurring exposure to domestic violence are far more likely to have an application to child welfare court, are more likely to be provided with ongoing services, and have a placement rate as high as cases involving other forms of maltreatment. Data were collected from the 2003 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect. Tables, references