Search results for ‘Subject term:"vulnerable children"’ Sort:
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The effect of services on the recurrence of child maltreatment
- Authors:
- DePANFILIS Diane, ZURAVIN Susan J.
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 26(2), February 2002, pp.187-205.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This American study examines the relationship of services on the risk of child maltreatment recurrence during child protection service intervention for families who were provided with continuing intervention following a confirmed index report of physical abuse or neglect. Results of the study found case characteristics that predicated recurrence were: child vulnerability, family stress, partner abuse, and social support deficits. Families who attended services identified in their service plans were one third less likely to experience a recurrence of child maltreatment while their case was active with CPS. Suggests that actively engaging families in a helping alliance and helping them accept and receive services may reduce the likelihood of future maltreatment.
Assessing the safety of children at risk of maltreatment: decision-making models
- Authors:
- DePANFILIS Diane, SCANNAPIECO Maria
- Journal article citation:
- Child Welfare Journal, 73(3), May 1994, pp.229-245.
- Publisher:
- Child Welfare League of America
Child protective service caseworkers must make difficult decisions about the safety of maltreated children. Increasingly it is necessary for these decisions to be made in the context of the duel role workers have of child protection and family preservation. Gives the results of a review of ten decision-making models aimed at guiding workers and identifies areas that call for further development or research.
Prevention of child abuse and neglect and improvements in child development
- Authors:
- CHRISTOFFERSEN Mogens Nygaard, DePANFILIS Diane
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse Review, 18(1), January 2009, pp.24-40.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim of the study was to evaluate the implementation of a section in the Danish Social Assistance Act which encourages local authorities to offer families services in order to support children at risk of child maltreatment. It investigates whether the socio-psychological development of children known to social services will be improved when abuse and neglect are reduced. A sample of 1,138 children was drawn at random from new social services cases starting in 1998. Subsequently, about 80 per cent were evaluated by local caseworkers on the basis of a standardised questionnaire covering a period of four years. The most damaging family conditions seemed to be psychological maltreatment, physical/sexual abuse and neglect. Maltreated children were more often in a depressed state, unhappy, socially isolated, or they had an eating disorder, inadequate or under-nutrition, suicidal tendencies, lack of concentration, or disturbed behaviour, compared to those children who were not exposed to abuse and neglect. If parental behaviour improved, effects on children's well-being were also observed and positive changes in children's socio-psychological development were identified. The questionnaire explored the impact of various interventions, including services geared to strengthen the child's network, but results indicated that the child displayed reduced risk of reactive symptoms only when parental behaviour improved and abuse and neglect were reduced.
Investigating child maltreatment in out-of-home care: barriers to effective decision-making
- Authors:
- DePANFILIS Diane, GIRVIN Heather
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 27(4), April 2005, pp.353-374.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
When children are alleged to be abused or neglected in out-of-home care, investigations must determine the facts of the allegations as well as arrange for the safety of children. This paper reports on a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional archival case review designed to assess the quality of investigations and to explore possible barriers to effective decision-making. Methods were used to explore factors that may have led to faulty decision-making in four decision categories: (1) placement in foster homes with prior substantiated child abuse and neglect; (2) determination of findings of new reports of child maltreatment; (3) evaluation of child safety following a report of child maltreatment; and (4) decisions about licensure and corrective action. Results suggest that the faulty decisions identified in this study may be related to: inadequate knowledge, information processing errors, the task environment, perceptual blocks, and expressive blocks. Recommendations are offered for improving the quality of investigative decision-making following reports of child maltreatment in out-of-home care.
Predicting child maltreatment recurrences during treatment
- Authors:
- DePANFILIS Diane, ZURAVIN Susan
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 23(8), August 1999, pp.729-743.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The primary purpose of the child protective services (CPS) is to protect children from the recurrence of maltreatment. This American study identifies the correlates of recurrence during CPS intervention for families who were provided with continuing intervention following a confirmed index report of physical abuse or neglect. Implications are that increasing social supports may help families cope with life events that increase stress and the continued risk of continued child maltreatment.
Factors affecting foster care placement of children receiving child protective services
- Authors:
- ZURAVIN Susan J., DePANFILIS Diane
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 21(1), March 1997, pp.34-42.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Looks at how research on placement predictors can provide valuable information about factors that drive the decision making of child welfare professionals. This article focuses on identifying predictors of placement in a sample of physically abusive or neglectful families reported to the public child protection program in the USA. Analyses revealed interactions between maternal substance abuse problems and maternal developmental limitations and domestic violence and between developmental limitations and maternal mental health problems. Recommendations for future research are discussed.