Reducing recurrence in the child protection system

This research sought to understand why children reported for suspected child abuse and neglect are often subject to repeated child protection involvement.

In Australia, over 300,000 children annually are reported to statutory child protection agencies as possible victims of abuse or neglect. Depending upon the seriousness and nature of allegations, families may be investigated by child protection workers to assess if a child is at risk of harm. The level of recurrence is high, with many children reported and investigated multiple times, often without receiving services. This project used administrative data relating to 9,608 children to investigate decision making, outcomes, and subsequent child protection involvement following a first notification. Better understandings of patterns of recurrence are helping to inform the design of policies, strategies, and approaches to decision making at early stages of the child protection system, help families access the right services at the right time, and ultimately prevent and address child abuse and neglect more effectively.

Project Leaders: Professor Clare Tilbury (Griffith University); Dr Hennessey Hayes (Griffith University); Professor Paul Mazerolle (Griffith University)

Project Team: Sue Bell (Senior Research Assistant), Brian Jenkins (PhD student)

Industry Partners: Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services

Project Value: $174,000

Type of Funding: Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage

Dates: 2013-2016

Publication: 

Jenkins, B. Q., Tilbury, C., Mazerolle, P., & Hayes, H. (2017). The complexity of child protection recurrence: The case for a systems approach. Child Abuse & Neglect, 63, 162-171. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.11.020

Jenkins, B. Q., Tilbury, C., Hayes, H., & Mazerolle, P. (2018). Factors associated with child protection recurrence in Australia. Child Abuse & Neglect, 81, 181-191. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.05.002