Home > Decision-Making in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Synthesis of Recent Research > Decision-Making in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Synthesis of Recent Research: 4 - Recommendations for Future Research

Decision-Making in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Synthesis of Recent Research
Grantee Lessons Learned

Author(s):  Children's Bureau (DHHS)

Year Published:  2003

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You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Introduction 2 - Findings 3 - Implications 4 - Recommendations for Future… 5 - Conclusion

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4 - Recommendations for Future Research

The researchers acknowledge many questions regarding decision-making require further research. Such research would ideally provide the field with evidence-based information about the consequences of decisions, and ultimately result in better outcomes for children and families.

Complexity of the decision-making process. The researchers agree that the decision-making process is complex, involving layers of factors that are not always acknowledged. Future research could further explore the various contexts, factors (e.g., case, personal, organizational, and external), and case features from which decision-making emerges.⁶⁴

Risk factors. Because the researchers generally agree that case factors are the most significant factors in decision-making, more research into risk factors is warranted. Risk factors currently used in assessment should be evaluated regarding their contribution to predicting case outcomes. Although no specific factors were proposed in these studies, additional research could be designed to explore whether certain factors now used in risk assessment could be dropped due to the minimal association they have with child outcomes, or whether additional factors or domains should be included or given greater weight in the assessment process.⁶⁵

Decision-making in unsubstantiated cases. More needs to be known about why so many families that return repeatedly to the system have initially unsubstantiated cases. Because chronic maltreatment, particularly neglect, has been found to be devastating, one study recommends reconsidering the evidence required to substantiate cases of families who are referred frequently.⁶⁶

Services. Engagement in services has been shown to be critical to outcomes for families, and, in at least one study, substantiation was positively associated with engagement. Both decision-making and engagement are to some degree dependent on the availability and effectiveness of services. Researchers therefore suggest the need for more information about how the availability of effective services affects both caseworkers' decisions to substantiate cases and, ultimately, outcomes for children and families.⁶⁷

Outcomes in unsubstantiated cases. These studies suggest that although one can be fairly certain that substantiation means maltreatment more than likely occurred, a finding of unsubstantiated does not guarantee that abuse or neglect did not occur.⁶⁸ As a result, the use of case findings and recurrence as CPS outcome measures may need to be explored further.⁶⁹ Future research should continue to look at child and family outcomes not only in substantiated cases but in unsubstantiated cases, as well.⁷⁰

⁶⁴ Diana English, personal Email communication, December 30, 2002. back
⁶⁵ Fluke, p. 127; English I, p. 122. back
⁶⁶ English I, p. 122. back
⁶⁷ English I, p. 122; Fluke, p. 126. back
⁶⁸ English I, p. 122. back
⁶⁹ English II, p. 107. back
⁷⁰ Drake, p. 188. back

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Updated on October 9, 2009