NCJ Number
226259
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 89-99
Date Published
February 2009
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study examined predictors of re-referral among urban children originally referred for maltreatment as infants.
Abstract
Results showed that there were no effects of the potentially modifiable characteristics of caregiver depression, caregiver substance use, harsh parenting tactics, child behavior problems, or caregiver utilization of mental health services on risk for repeated referrals to Child Protective Services (CPS). Rather, an initial allegation that included physical and sexual abuse and whether the initial maltreatment allegation was substantiated were the only robust predictors of risk. Much of the previous research in this area has predicted outcomes from baseline assessments only. In this study, risk for re-referral was examined as a function of the most recent assessments of child, family, and caregiver functioning; re-referral at age 9 was predicted by functioning at the most recent assessment when a child was 8 years old. This analytic approach would have been more sensitive than analyses that relied on baseline measures to detect any natural variation in child, family, and caregiver functioning as well as the effects of any intervention aimed at improving functioning had there been any effects. Even so, no evidence was found that these factors were significant predictors of re-referral risk. A second theme did emerge from the findings: the form of maltreatment was a very robust predictor of re-referral, roughly five times as much risk as those children who had been referred for neglect only. Data were collected from 149 high-risk families with a target child less than 18 months of age as part of the Capella Project. Tables, figure, and references