Research and resources regarding the greater risk and incidence of maltreatment for children with disabilities, including State and local examples.
Abuse of Children With Intellectual Disabilities (PDF - 357 KB)
Davis (2011)
Discusses the physical and behavioral signs of abuse in children with intellectual disabilities, strategies for preventing abuse, and the consequences of being abused.
Childhood Maltreatment Among Children With Disabilities
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)
Provides information about the risk of abuse or neglect for children with disabilities as well as information and resources to help protect children from harm.
Does Childhood Disability Increase Risk for Child Abuse and Neglect?
Leeb & Bitsko & Merrick & Armour (2012)
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 5(1)
Provides information on the relationship between having a disability and experiencing maltreatment and explores steps that can be taken toward planning appropriate interventions.
Maltreatment of Children Under Age 2 With Specific Birth Defects: A Population-Based Study (PDF - 750 KB)
Van Horne, Moffitt, Canfield, Case, Greeley, Morgan, & Mitchell (2015)
Pediatrics, 136(6)
Explores the risk and predictors of maltreatment in children under age 2 who have birth defects compared with young children without disabilities.
Maltreatment Risk Among Children With Disabilities
Maclean, Sims, Bower, Leonard, Stanley & O’Donnell (2017)
Pediatrics, 139(4)
Examines children with disabilities, their risk of maltreatment, and whether risk factors vary according to type of disability.
Restraint and Seclusion: Resource Document (PDF - 1,567 KB)
U.S. Department of Education (2012)
Presents and describes 15 principles for schools, parents, and other stakeholders to consider when States develop policies and procedures on the use of restraint and seclusion.
Sexual Abuse of Children with Disabilities: A National Snapshot (PDF - 385 KB)
Smith & Harrell (2013)
Vera Institute of Justice
Discusses the dynamics of sexual abuse of children with disabilities, including the factors that contribute to its high prevalence, the status of prevention and intervention services designed to address this problem, and critical gaps and recommendations for next steps.
Subsequent Maltreatment in Children With Disabilities After an Unsubstantiated Report for Neglect
Kistin, Tompson, Cabral, Sege, Winter & Silverstein (2016)
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 315(1)
Explores outcomes after involvement with the child welfare system for children with and without disabilities and finds that children with disabilities are at greater risk for subsequent maltreatment.
| Series Title | Issue Briefs |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 443KB) |
| Year Published | 2015 |
Victimization and Depression Among Youth With Disabilities in the US Child Welfare System
Berg & Shiu & Msall & Acharya (2011)
Child: Care, Health and Development, 41(6)
Examines the prevalence of victimization among youth with disabilities whose parents have been investigated for maltreatment in the child welfare system. The article also focuses on the youths' mental health.
State and local examples
Older Youth With Disabilities in Foster Care: The Prevalence and Experience of Older Youth With Disabilities in Foster Care in Minnesota: An Analysis of State Administrative Data (PDF - 1,500 KB)
University of Minnesota School of Social Work, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (2013)
Highlights the experiences of older youth with disabilities in Minnesota and their intersection with the child welfare system.
One Child at a Time: A Guide for Professionals in Recognizing and Reporting the Abuse and Neglect of Children With Disabilities (PDF - 4,620 KB)
Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia (2012)
Provides information on child abuse and neglect, including indicators, procedures for reporting, and considerations when working with children with disabilities.