October 01, 2020

Research from the field

The issues affecting children and families are complex, and sound research is needed to build an understanding of what works to strengthen families and keep children safe. The Research from the field series provides brief summaries of seminal, thought-provoking research studies or syntheses. The summaries are intended to inspire new ways of thinking and promote transformative approaches to supporting child and family well-being. They cover a broad range of topics. Each summary highlights findings from a single research study or synthesis, identifies additional resources to further explore the topic, and offers considerations for application within the context of transformation toward a 21^st Century child and family well-being system.

FEATURED RESOURCES

Full length portrait of a young girl using her tablet while lying on a sofa at home

Do reporting professionals overexpose marginalized families to more surveillance due to the dual nature of child welfare services?

Portrait of a happy mother and daughter playing together in their backyard

Is alternative response equitably provided to families of color with low-income status?

Portrait of happy boy standing with father at basketball court. Mid adult man and child are smiling in backyard. They are in casuals during weekend.

Does a state’s social policy regime impact involvement with child welfare?

Please explore the related resources below and at Questions from the field to learn more about the research that informs our work.

Categorized in: Topical Page

Tagged with: Data, Research

Related Resources

Can decreasing unwarranted reports to child protection agencies improve outcomes for children and families?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between previously reported sentinel injuries and later physical abuse in infants.

Do perceptions of risk impact how mothers interact with social service providers?

Learn findings from a study that examined how low-income mothers limit their engagement with needed support services for fear of CPS report.

Do sentinel injuries predict later physical abuse in infants?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between previously reported sentinel injuries and later physical abuse in infants.

Do states with refundable Earned Income Tax Credits have lower rates of children involved in foster care?

Learn from a study that examines the effect that refundable Earned Income Tax Credits have on the rate of children entering foster care.

Does prenatal substance exposure impact involvement with child protective services during the first year of life?

Learn the findings from a study that explored the relationship between prenatal substance exposure at birth and CPS involvement during the first year of life.

How can kinship navigation services support family resource needs?

Learn the findings from a study that examined how kinship navigation services can support families and improve outcomes for children.

How can understanding risk and protective factors predict chronic neglect for CPS-involved families?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the use of risk assessment tools in predicting subsequent chronic neglect.

How do mandatory reporting laws affect help-seeking among survivors of intimate partner violence?

Learn from a study that explores how mandatory reporting laws may discourage survivors of intimate partner violence from seeking support.

How does the payment of child support impact time to permanency for children in foster care?

Learn from a study that examines how requiring child support payments to child protection agencies can impact time to permanency.

What is the impact of a Title IV-E waiver kinship supports intervention?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the impact of a Kinship Supports Intervention (KSI).

Does a state’s social policy regime impact involvement with child welfare?

Learn from a research study that explores whether state-level social policies impact frequency and characteristics of child protection interventions.

Do prior maltreatment reports serve as a risk factor for child fatalities?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between nonfatal maltreatment allegations and child fatalities in young children.

Can providing material needs decrease the rate of child maltreatment?

Explore findings from a study that shares how offering material supports to families is effective in reducing maltreatment.

Is it possible to modify neighborhood-level characteristics to reduce the rate of child maltreatment?

Explore findings from a study that suggests that strategies implemented at a neighborhood-level may effectively decrease child maltreatment.

Can strengthening national data on child fatalities aid in prevention?

Explore findings from a report that outlines why a consistent and coordinated approach to child fatality data is necessary.

Did a review of death certificate data reveal an underreporting of fatalities due to child abuse?

Explore findings from a study that looked at medical examiner data to conclude that true rates of fatal child abuse may be underreported.

How does involvement with law enforcement impact the reporting of child abuse and neglect?

Learn findings from a study that describes the relationship between police contact with families and the reporting of child maltreatment.

Do reporting professionals overexpose marginalized families to more surveillance due to the dual nature of child welfare services?

Learn from a study that explores how making reports to CPS may lead to over-surveillance and trauma for families.

Are decisions to substantiate impacted by caseworkers’ perceptions of domestic violence or parental substance misuse?

Learn the findings from a study that assessed how caseworkers’ perceptions of domestic violence and parental substance use influenced the decision-making.

Can policy changes reduce child poverty?

Learn about findings from a study that explores the effect that four social policies and programs can have on child poverty.

Do higher standards of proof for child abuse and neglect impact rates of substantiation?

Learn about findings from a study that examines the outcomes related to having higher standards of proof for substantiation.

Are Universal Mandatory Reporting policies effective in identifying child physical abuse?

Learn findings from a study that examined the efficacy of Universal Mandatory Reporting policies in identifying victims of physical abuse.

Do child care subsidies decrease rates of child maltreatment?

Learn the findings from a study that examines the effect of child care subsidies on child maltreatment.

What impact does Connecticut’s home visiting program have on families at risk of child maltreatment?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the impact of Connecticut’s statewide home visiting program on child maltreatment.

What can we learn from how states define neglect?

Learn from a study that outlines how states differ in their definitions of child neglect and the impacts on children and families.

How can trends in child maltreatment during COVID-19 inform new ways of supporting families?

Learn how maltreatment reports to the hotline changed during COVID-19, and how families can be better supported at a community level.

Do state child welfare policies impact the rate of reported and substantiated child maltreatment?

Learn findings from a study that examined how state-level policies can impact the number of child maltreatment reports and substantiations.

How can we ensure that separating children from their families is an intervention of last resort?

Review findings from an article describing how child removal decisions are based on inconsistent standards and practices among states.

Does contact with child protective services vary by race/ethnicity and county?

Findings from a research study show race-based differences in the rates of involvement in child maltreatment investigations.

Is alternative response equitably provided to families of color with low-income status?

Findings from a study show alternative response assignments for child neglect differ based on a family’s race and income level.

Should institutional placements be eliminated for youth in foster care?

Learn from a participatory qualitative research report about the impacts of institutional placement on youth who experienced them.

Do kinship navigation programs impact permanency and equity for youth?

Learn findings from a study that analyzed permanency and equity outcome data for families that received kinship navigation services.

Does limiting government surveillance compromise child safety?

Understand how the COVID-19 shutdown resulted in limited surveillance without compromising child safety in New York City.

Related Resources

Can decreasing unwarranted reports to child protection agencies improve outcomes for children and families?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between previously reported sentinel injuries and later physical abuse in infants.

Do perceptions of risk impact how mothers interact with social service providers?

Learn findings from a study that examined how low-income mothers limit their engagement with needed support services for fear of CPS report.

Do sentinel injuries predict later physical abuse in infants?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between previously reported sentinel injuries and later physical abuse in infants.

Do states with refundable Earned Income Tax Credits have lower rates of children involved in foster care?

Learn from a study that examines the effect that refundable Earned Income Tax Credits have on the rate of children entering foster care.

Does prenatal substance exposure impact involvement with child protective services during the first year of life?

Learn the findings from a study that explored the relationship between prenatal substance exposure at birth and CPS involvement during the first year of life.

How can kinship navigation services support family resource needs?

Learn the findings from a study that examined how kinship navigation services can support families and improve outcomes for children.

How can understanding risk and protective factors predict chronic neglect for CPS-involved families?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the use of risk assessment tools in predicting subsequent chronic neglect.

How do mandatory reporting laws affect help-seeking among survivors of intimate partner violence?

Learn from a study that explores how mandatory reporting laws may discourage survivors of intimate partner violence from seeking support.

How does the payment of child support impact time to permanency for children in foster care?

Learn from a study that examines how requiring child support payments to child protection agencies can impact time to permanency.

What is the impact of a Title IV-E waiver kinship supports intervention?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the impact of a Kinship Supports Intervention (KSI).

Does a state’s social policy regime impact involvement with child welfare?

Learn from a research study that explores whether state-level social policies impact frequency and characteristics of child protection interventions.

Do prior maltreatment reports serve as a risk factor for child fatalities?

Learn from a study that examines the relationship between nonfatal maltreatment allegations and child fatalities in young children.

Can providing material needs decrease the rate of child maltreatment?

Explore findings from a study that shares how offering material supports to families is effective in reducing maltreatment.

Is it possible to modify neighborhood-level characteristics to reduce the rate of child maltreatment?

Explore findings from a study that suggests that strategies implemented at a neighborhood-level may effectively decrease child maltreatment.

Can strengthening national data on child fatalities aid in prevention?

Explore findings from a report that outlines why a consistent and coordinated approach to child fatality data is necessary.

Did a review of death certificate data reveal an underreporting of fatalities due to child abuse?

Explore findings from a study that looked at medical examiner data to conclude that true rates of fatal child abuse may be underreported.

How does involvement with law enforcement impact the reporting of child abuse and neglect?

Learn findings from a study that describes the relationship between police contact with families and the reporting of child maltreatment.

Do reporting professionals overexpose marginalized families to more surveillance due to the dual nature of child welfare services?

Learn from a study that explores how making reports to CPS may lead to over-surveillance and trauma for families.

Are decisions to substantiate impacted by caseworkers’ perceptions of domestic violence or parental substance misuse?

Learn the findings from a study that assessed how caseworkers’ perceptions of domestic violence and parental substance use influenced the decision-making.

Can policy changes reduce child poverty?

Learn about findings from a study that explores the effect that four social policies and programs can have on child poverty.

Do higher standards of proof for child abuse and neglect impact rates of substantiation?

Learn about findings from a study that examines the outcomes related to having higher standards of proof for substantiation.

Are Universal Mandatory Reporting policies effective in identifying child physical abuse?

Learn findings from a study that examined the efficacy of Universal Mandatory Reporting policies in identifying victims of physical abuse.

Do child care subsidies decrease rates of child maltreatment?

Learn the findings from a study that examines the effect of child care subsidies on child maltreatment.

What impact does Connecticut’s home visiting program have on families at risk of child maltreatment?

Learn the findings from a study that examined the impact of Connecticut’s statewide home visiting program on child maltreatment.

What can we learn from how states define neglect?

Learn from a study that outlines how states differ in their definitions of child neglect and the impacts on children and families.

How can trends in child maltreatment during COVID-19 inform new ways of supporting families?

Learn how maltreatment reports to the hotline changed during COVID-19, and how families can be better supported at a community level.

Do state child welfare policies impact the rate of reported and substantiated child maltreatment?

Learn findings from a study that examined how state-level policies can impact the number of child maltreatment reports and substantiations.

How can we ensure that separating children from their families is an intervention of last resort?

Review findings from an article describing how child removal decisions are based on inconsistent standards and practices among states.

Does contact with child protective services vary by race/ethnicity and county?

Findings from a research study show race-based differences in the rates of involvement in child maltreatment investigations.

Is alternative response equitably provided to families of color with low-income status?

Findings from a study show alternative response assignments for child neglect differ based on a family’s race and income level.

Should institutional placements be eliminated for youth in foster care?

Learn from a participatory qualitative research report about the impacts of institutional placement on youth who experienced them.

Do kinship navigation programs impact permanency and equity for youth?

Learn findings from a study that analyzed permanency and equity outcome data for families that received kinship navigation services.

Does limiting government surveillance compromise child safety?

Understand how the COVID-19 shutdown resulted in limited surveillance without compromising child safety in New York City.