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Home > Reducing Re-referral in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Research to Practice > Reducing Re-referral in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Research to Practice: 1 - Summary of Key Research Findings
Reducing Re-referral in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Research To Practice
Grantee Lessons Learned
Author(s): Children's Bureau (DHHS)
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| Year Published: 2003 |
1 - Summary of Key Research Findings
1.1 Factors That Influence CPS Decision-Making About Case Disposition
The researchers generally agreed that factors related to the case, child, and family circumstances all are significant to decision-making in CPS cases. However, the context for CPS decision-making is complex, and other factors (such as those related to caseworker characteristics, the organizational environment, and State laws and policies) were also found to influence these decisions.
Some of the research findings regarding factors influencing CPS decision-making include:
- Multiple risk factors. In one study, when risk factors were found in more than five different categories (such as child characteristics, caretaker characteristics, social and economic factors), the likelihood of a substantiated finding for that case increased significantly.3
- Prior referrals. In general, cases with prior referrals were more likely to be substantiated.4
- Neglect. In one study, caseworkers indicated they were least likely to substantiate referrals for neglect.5
- State policies. States with options for decision-making that acknowledged uncertainty about the occurrence of maltreatment, such as "unable to determine" or "insufficient evidence," were found to have lower proportions of unsubstantiated cases. Researchers suggest that this may indicate that ambiguous cases are recorded in these categories when States have them available, while in States with only two options those ambiguous cases may be more likely to be recorded as unsubstantiated.6 Also, the proportion of unsubstantiated cases tended to be higher in States where the evidence threshold to substantiate a case was higher.7
1.2 Case Factors That Influence Re-referral
In general, substantiated or inconclusive cases were found to be more likely to re-refer than unsubstantiated cases. However, initially unsubstantiated cases accounted for the greatest number of children returning as a re-referral. One study also found that one-third of cases classified as inconclusive or unsubstantiated re-referred within 12 months of the last investigation.8 Some of the factors found to influence re-referral include:
- Neglect. Initially substantiated neglect cases were found to be highly likely to re-refer.9
- Younger children. In both initially substantiated and unsubstantiated cases, younger children were more likely to be re-referred to the system for all types of maltreatment except sexual abuse.10
- Perpetrator factors. In both initially substantiated and unsubstantiated cases, younger perpetrators, parent perpetrators (for most maltreatment types), and families with fewer financial resources were found to re-refer at higher rates.11
1.3 Impact of Services on Re-referral
The research found that families whose cases were substantiated were more likely to participate in services actively and use them effectively. Services were found to reduce re-referral.12 Some examples:
- Neglect cases. Although neglect cases were found to be highly likely to re-refer, any form of services was found to reduce the likelihood of re-referral.13
- Child fatalities. In at least one small sample, all cases that later returned as child fatalities were found to have received no services after the initial finding (whether substantiated or unsubstantiated).14
- Type of service. One study compared the outcomes of family preservation services (brief, intensive, in-home services provided to families at greatest perceived risk for foster care placement) with what the researchers referred to as "family-centered services" (less intensive, in-home services provided, over several months, to families at lower risk for out-of-home placement) and foster care (out-of-home services). In that study, family-centered services and foster care were found to reduce the risk of re-referral significantly. Family preservation services were found to be associated with a greater likelihood of re-referral involving eventual out-of-home placement.15 It is important to note, however, that family preservation services were designed to provide intensive short-term services to families at imminent risk of having a child removed. Caseworkers providing family preservation services, who are with a family so frequently, may be more likely to identify risk factors too great to permit the child to remain safely in the home. In this case, re-referral may actually indicate a higher, not lower, level of protection for the children.
- Length of service provision. Among families who received any type of services, the longer it had been since the service ended, the more likely a family was to experience re-referral. One study found that increasing the duration of foster care (up to a total of 7 to 11 months) was associated with lower re-referral rates following reunification.16 This may suggest that the longer services are provided, the more effective they will be.
- Kinship care. Among children who entered foster care, those who exited to a relative's care experienced a reduced risk of re-referral.17
3 English I, p. 115. back
4 Fluke, p. 109, 115. back
5 English II, p. 98. back
6 Fluke, p. 32, 45. back
7 Fluke, pp. 33-34. back
8 English, p. 119. back
9 Drake, p. 134. back
10 Drake, p. 142. back
11 Drake, p. 143; English III, p. 63. back
12 English, p. 42. back
13 Drake, p. 134. back
14 Drake, p. 168. back
15 Drake, pp. 141-142. back
16 Drake, p. 151. back
17 Drake, p. 152. back
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