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Risk factors identified in prenatal child protection reports.
- Source :
-
Children & Youth Services Review . Mar2021, Vol. 122, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- • Risk factors were identified from the narratives of prenatal child protection reports. • Most families were reported to be experiencing three or more risk factors. • Prenatal supports must address multiple co-occurring problems. The prevalence of prenatal reporting to child protection is estimated to be 3% of Australian pregnancies. Understanding risk factors associated with prenatal child protection involvement is critical in identifying the needs of families who may benefit from early intervention. This paper reports findings of a case file review examining characteristics of families reported prenatally. Unit-record administrative data were extracted for unborn children reported to child protection in a single Australian jurisdiction during 2014. Intake reports relating to a 20% random sample (n = 131 unborn children) were coded using a tailored coding guide developed for this study. Most families were reported to be experiencing three or more risk factors, including current or previous intimate partner violence (70% of families), parental alcohol and other drug use (63%), parental mental health concerns (58%) or parent criminal activity (34%). Over one-third of parents in the sample had themselves experienced abuse and neglect as children. In families with more than one child, more than 90% of older siblings of unborn children had been the subject of a previous report. Supports must address multiple co-occurring problems, often in the context of personal and familial histories of child abuse and neglect, meaning that risks are intergenerational and enduring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *PREVENTION of child abuse
*CHILD abuse
*CHILD welfare
*LEGAL status of fetuses
*PSYCHOLOGY of parents
*ACQUISITION of data methodology
*FAMILIES
*MENTAL health
*CRIMINALS
*MOTHER-infant relationship
*RISK assessment
*INTIMATE partner violence
*ADULT child abuse victims
*DESCRIPTIVE statistics
*ALCOHOL drinking
*MEDICAL records
*STATISTICAL sampling
*PRENATAL care
*PREGNANCY
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01907409
- Volume :
- 122
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Children & Youth Services Review
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 148986335
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105905