US National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

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US National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

• John Gaudiosi,
• Childrens Bureau, US Department of Health and
  Human Services
• John Fluke and Ying Ying Yuan,
• Walter R. McDonald Associates, Inc.

September 4, 2006 International Society for the
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect 16th
International Conference, York, England
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Scope, Goals and Purposes of the Data Collection
Program

• Meets US legal requirements to collect child
  maltreatment data
• Provides data that are critical to policymakers
  and administrators of CPS programs
• Data are used to support a range of federal
  initiatives, notably
• ASFA Outcome Measures
• Child and Family Services Review Process
• Office of Management and Budget Program
  Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
• Contribute to the understanding of child
  maltreatment and the impact of intervention policy

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Data Collection and Analysis Methods

• Sample
• Universe uses no systematic sampling approach.
• Data are administrative and derived from state
  Child Protective Service Agencies.
• Representation
• Represents only cases known to one particular
  service sector (child welfare).
• Includes data from all US states (case level data
  from 45 of 50 States in 2004).
• Data Collection
• Aggregate Data are survey.
• Case level from State information systems.

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Data Collection and Analysis Methods

• Mapping and Validation of Data
• Data are mapped to national categories
• Data are validated for coding, internal
  consistency, and analytical accuracy and
  comprehensiveness
• Measures of Maltreatment
• Six major categories (Physical, neglect, medical
  neglect, sexual, emotional, other).
• Longitudinal
• Aggregate data since 1990 case level data since
  1993.
• Encrypted unique child and perpetrator
  identifiers.
• Time Period
• Data are collected annually.

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Figure 3-2 Investigation and Victimization Rates,
1990-2004
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Figure 3-3 Victimization Rates by Maltreatment
Type, 2000-2004
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Maltreatment Recurrence

• Beginning on August 16, 2001, the Childrens
  Bureau national standard for recurrence was set
• A State meets the national standard if of all
  children who were victims of substantiated or
  indicated child abuse and/or neglect during the
  first 6 months of the period under review, 6.1
  percent or fewer children had another
  substantiated or indicated report within 6
  months.

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Policy Related Research Questions

• 1. What are the trends in recurrence rates over
  time?
• 2. In the presence of other factors that are
  associated with recurrence, is there a trend in
  recurrence rates over time?

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Children Who Experience Recurrence Within 6
Months (12 States)
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Factors Associated with Risk of Subsequent
Victimization Within 6 Months12 States,
2001-2004N 423,581
p lt.0001
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Factors Associated with Risk of Subsequent
Victimization Within 6 Months
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Research Questions
and Answers

• 1. What are the trends in recurrence rates over
  time?

We see a decline in recurrence rates over time.
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Research Questions
and Answers

• 2. When comparing proportional hazards analyses
  with single-year datasets, do factors
  contributing to recurrence change over time?

Mostly the same over time. For some factors, the
risk ratios decline, but not for every year.
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Research Questions
and Answers

• 3. Using proportional hazards analysis with a
  multiyear dataset
• What factors predict the likelihood of recurrence?

Child Age, Disability, Maltreatment Type,
Perpetrator Relationship, Report Source,
Services, Prior Victimization

• Does the year contribute to the model predicting
  the likelihood of recurrence?

Yes, although alone it does not do as good a job
in the model as it does when it interacts with
other factors.
c. Does the year interact with other factors to
predict recurrence?
Yes. Maltreatment Type, Report Source, Placement.
However, these changes in risk ratios are not
associated with a significant trend in declining
recurrence.
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Discussion continued

• Should exposure to domestic violence be a
  reportable condition in the context of child
  maltreatment?
• The US does not include domestic violence in
  National Reporting at this time. Specific State
  do address witnessing domestic violence in their
  CPS programs.
• How is emotional abuse defined?
• PSYCHOLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT Type of
  maltreatment that refers to acts or omissions,
  other than physical abuse or sexual abuse, that
  caused, or could have caused, conduct, cognitive,
  affective, or other mental disorders. Includes
  emotional neglect, psychological abuse, mental
  injury, etc. Frequently occurs as verbal abuse
  or excessive demands on a childs performance and
  may cause the child to have a negative self-image
  and disturbed behavior.

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Discussion continued

• How is the existence of multiple definitions
  handled within a country?
• Categories are general, capturing a universal
  view of the measurement objective
• Specific definitions at the State level are
  mapped to NCANDS Categories
• Differences are acknowledged in describing the
  data
• How are different needs for various audiences
  such as policy, finance, performance outcomes,
  and research dealt with?
• A range of analytic products are developed for
  various audiences ranging from the general public
  to researchers
• Data are disseminated for secondary analysis
• Specific analysis and analytic infrastructure is
  developed to meet various federal reporting
  requirements

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Discussion

• Case level data collection
• State Automated Child Welfare Information Systems
• Child and Family Service Review Process
• System has evolved
• Almost all States are Now Providing Case Level
  Data (45 in 2004)
• Data are timely and available annually
• Range of applications has expanded dramatically

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Disclaimer
The views expressed in written conference
materials or publications and by speakers, do
not necessarily reflect the official policies of
the Department of Health and Human Services, nor
does mention of trade names, commercial
practices, or organizations imply endorsement by
the U.S. Government.
Contact
John D. Fluke Ph. D. Vice President of
Research Walter R. McDonald Associates,
Inc. 5445 DTC Parkway Penthouse Four Greenwood
Village, CO 80111 USA [phone] jfluke_at_wrma.
com