NCJ Number
230474
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 144-151
Date Published
May 2010
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated how child protective services (CPS) caseworkers make decisions on the medical management of siblings of physically abused children (contact children (CC)) after report of physical abuse in an index case.
Abstract
Current theories suggest that all children in a home are at risk for physical abuse, when one child is abused. However, little evidence exists to guide decisions regarding the medical management of siblings of physically abused children (contact children [CC]). This study sought to compare child protective services (CPS) caseworkers' and child abuse physicians' (CAP) recommendations regarding the need for medical evaluation of CC in case scenarios of unequivocal physical abuse. In all cases, caseworkers and physicians disagreed on which CC warranted a medical evaluation. In addition, 25 percent of caseworkers did not think that physicians should make recommendations on the need for medical evaluation of CC. The findings of the authors suggest that the home visit is a critical part of the decisionmaking process for caseworkers and that it often acts as a substitute for a medical evaluation. Caseworkers indicated that visible injury to the contact child and severity of injury to the index child were among the most important factors in deciding which CC need a medical evaluation. Although caseworkers and physicians disagree on certain issues related to the evaluation of CC, it is clear that limited resources should be directed at CC at highest risk for physical abuse. Tables and references (Published Abstract)