Development, CAPTA Part C Referral and Services Among Young Children in the U.S. Child Welfare System

Abstract

Amendments made to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act in 2003 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act in 2004 opened the door to a promising partnership between child welfare services and early intervention (EI) agencies by requiring a referral to EI services for all children under age 3 involved in a substantiated case of child abuse, neglect, or illegal drug exposure. However, little research has been conducted to assess the implications of these policies. Using data drawn from a nationally representative study conducted in 2008-2009, we observed less than a fifth of all children in substantiated cases to receive a referral to developmental services (18.2%) approximately 5 years after the passage of the amendments. Of children in contact with the U.S. child welfare system, Hispanic children of immigrants demonstrated the greatest developmental need yet were among the least likely to receive EI services by the end of the study period. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Infants Investigated by the Child Welfare System: Exploring a Distinct Profile of Risks, Service Needs, and Referrals for Support in Ontario

“…Amongst children with a developmental disability, a report of emotional maltreatment and out-of-home placement were two factors that increased the likelihood of a service referral for a formal assessment [ 39 ]. The likelihood of a referral to developmental services was more likely for cases in which the child welfare system had determined a need for services and where children experienced sexual abuse [ 40 ].There is a dearth of research that explores service referrals for infants and young children.…”

“…For instance, there are differences between the U.S. and Canada in how the knowledge of early childhood development has informed child welfare legislation and policies. In the U.S., amendments were made in 2003 to the Child Abuse and Prevention Act (CAPTA) in recognition of the importance of early intervention for young child welfare-involved children [ 11 , 40 ]. Funded under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), states were required to develop referral procedures to early intervention services for children aged 0 to 3 years who were involved in a substantiated case of child maltreatment [ 11 , 40 ].…”

“…In the U.S., amendments were made in 2003 to the Child Abuse and Prevention Act (CAPTA) in recognition of the importance of early intervention for young child welfare-involved children [ 11 , 40 ]. Funded under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), states were required to develop referral procedures to early intervention services for children aged 0 to 3 years who were involved in a substantiated case of child maltreatment [ 11 , 40 ]. In 2011, the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovations Act was introduced and this legislation required state reporting of activities involving young children in the child welfare system [ 41 ].…”

Transforming Early Intervention Screening, Evaluation, Assessment, and Collaboration Practices: Increasing Eligibility for Children Impacted by Trauma

“…A growing body of research connects child maltreatment and early trauma exposure to mental health and developmental concerns in infants, toddlers, and preschool children (Grasso, Ford, & Briggs-Gowan, 2013; Johnson-Motoyama, Moses, Conrad-Hiebner, & Mariscal, 2016; Harden, Buhler, & Parra, 2016; Milot, St-Laurent, Ethier, & Provost, 2010; Mongillo, Briggs-Gowan, Ford, & Carter, 2009; Scarborough & McCrae, 2010). A 2009 study shows one in four toddlers between the ages of 18 months and 36 months experience potentially traumatic events (PTE; Mongillo et al, 2009).…”

“…Scarborough and McCrae (2010) found that in the U.S. population, children under 3 years of age experience the highest substantiated rates of PTEs including physical abuse, severe injury, and longer out of home placements. Multiple studies report that over 45% of infants and toddlers experiencing child maltreatment have significant developmental delays before the age of 3 years (Johnson-Motoyama et al, 2016; Rosenberg & Smith, 2008) and display high rates of poor adaptive and social emotional skills when they enter school (Scarborough & McCrae, 2010). Child welfare (CW) and public instruction entities keep independent data systems, placing significant challenges on gathering data.…”