A Review of Screened-Out Families and Child Protective Services Involvement: A Missed Opportunity to Prevent Future Maltreatment With Community-Based Services

Abstract

The objective of this article is to frame, understand, and draw implications from existing research on families screened out by child protective services (CPS) after a referral alleging child maltreatment. We review descriptive and outcome data together with emerging intervention research amidst a developing consensus that the current reactive role of CPS should be supplemented by supportive and preventative services that primarily address poverty. State-level data indicate that screened-out families are at high risk of re-referral and similar to higher-risk families reported to CPS. Intervention research is scant and mixed, but there is indication that providing community-based services may reduce future CPS involvement. Considering that screened-out referrals present an opportunity to prevent future maltreatment, CPS should identify and collaboratively engage screened-out families in community-based services. More research on the outcomes of these community responses is needed to identify best practices related to engagement and service provision.

Levels of Involvement with Child Protection Services Associated with Early Adolescent Police Contact as a Victim and Person of Interest

“…Service provision and funding allocation are often focused on substantiated cases of serious maltreatment and children in out-of-home care for good reason but our findings suggest that families who do not receive formal services from CPS would also benefit from programs to prevent or reduce future involvement with police. Families that are “screened out” by CPS (i.e., those whose reports do not meet thresholds for risk of significant harm) are increasingly being seen as an underserved population where there is a missed opportunity for preventative intervention ( Maguire-Jack & Bowers, 2014 ; Simon et al, 2021 ). Providing such services would require systematic changes to programming and infrastructure ( Slack & Berger, 2020 ) that pose implementation challenges.…”

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Child Protective Services Reporting, Substantiation and Placement, With Comparison to Non-CPS Risks and Outcomes: 2005–2019

“…Numerous studies have shed light on the promise of reducing maltreatment and CPS involvement using existing mechanisms to address economic need (Maguire-Jack et al, 2021) and bolder approaches to reduce poverty (Berger et al, 2018). Earlier targeting of preventive interventions could increase diversion from CPS and prevent maltreatment (e.g., Branco et al, 2021; Briar-Lawson et al, 2021; Goodman et al, 2021; Simon et al, 2021), an area that deserves further research. Pending advances in effective prevention, we should continue to bolster the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of CPS responses to children and families subject to a CPS report.…”