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Predicting Child Protective Services (CPS) Involvement among Low-Income U.S. Families with Young Children Receiving Nutritional Assistance

Author

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  • Kristen S. Slack

    (School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1350 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
    Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA)

  • Sarah Font

    (Department of Sociology and Criminology, The Pennsylvania State University, 505 Oswald Tower, University Park, PA 16802, USA)

  • Kathryn Maguire-Jack

    (The Ohio State University College of Social Work, 1947 N College Rd, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Lawrence M. Berger

    (School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1350 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA
    Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA)

Abstract

This exploratory study examines combinations of income-tested welfare benefits and earnings, as they relate to the likelihood of child maltreatment investigations among low-income families with young children participating in a nutritional assistance program in one U.S. state (Wisconsin). Using a sample of 1065 parents who received the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits in late 2010 and early 2011, we find that relying on either work in the absence of other means-tested welfare benefits, or a combination of work and welfare benefits, reduces the likelihood of CPS involvement compared to parents who rely on welfare benefits in the absence of work. Additionally, we find that housing instability increases the risk of CPS involvement in this population. The findings from this investigation may be useful to programs serving low-income families with young children, as they attempt to identify safety net resources for their clientele.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristen S. Slack & Sarah Font & Kathryn Maguire-Jack & Lawrence M. Berger, 2017. "Predicting Child Protective Services (CPS) Involvement among Low-Income U.S. Families with Young Children Receiving Nutritional Assistance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:10:p:1197-:d:114412
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lawrence M. Berger & Jane Waldfogel, 2011. "Economic Determinants and Consequences of Child Maltreatment," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 111, OECD Publishing.
    2. Slack, Kristen S. & Kim, Bomi & Yang, Mi-Youn & Berger, Lawrence M., 2014. "The economic safety net for low-income families with children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 213-219.
    3. Shanahan, Meghan E. & Runyan, Desmond K. & Martin, Sandra L. & Kotch, Jonathan B., 2017. "The within poverty differences in the occurrence of physical neglect," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1-6.
    4. Needell, Barbara & Cuccaro-Alamin, Stephanie & Brookhart, Alan & Lee, Seon, 1999. "Transitions from AFDC to child welfare in California," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(9-10), pages 815-841.
    5. Lee, Bong Joo & Mackey-Bilaver, Lucy, 2007. "Effects of WIC and Food Stamp Program participation on child outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 501-517, April.
    6. Dworsky, Amy & Courtney, Mark E. & Zinn, Andrew, 2007. "Child, parent, and family predictors of child welfare services involvement among TANF applicant families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 802-820, June.
    7. Slack, Kristen Shook & Berger, Lawrence M. & DuMont, Kimberly & Yang, Mi-Youn & Kim, Bomi & Ehrhard-Dietzel, Susan & Holl, Jane L., 2011. "Risk and protective factors for child neglect during early childhood: A cross-study comparison," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1354-1363, August.
    8. Billings, Peggy & Moore, Terry D. & McDonald, Thomas P., 2003. "What Do We Know About the Relationship between Public Welfare and Child Welfare?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(8), pages 633-650, August.
    9. Shook, Kristen, 1999. "Does the loss of welfare income increase the risk of involvement with the child welfare system?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(9-10), pages 781-814.
    10. McDaniel, Marla & Slack, Kristen Shook, 2005. "Major life events and the risk of a child maltreatment investigation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 171-195, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. María J Pino & Javier Herruzo & Carlos Herruzo, 2019. "A New Intervention Procedure for Improving Classroom Behavior of Neglected Children: Say Do Say Correspondence Training," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Duncan J. Mayer & Robert L. Fischer, 2022. "Can a measurement error perspective improve estimation in neighborhood effects research? A hierarchical Bayesian methodology," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 103(5), pages 1260-1272, September.
    3. Ma, Julie & Han, Yoonsun, 2023. "Heterogeneous effects of spanking on child protective services involvement in early childhood: A propensity score stratification analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    4. LaLiberte, Traci & Piescher, Kristine & Mickelson, Nicole & Hwa Lee, Mi, 2024. "The overrepresentation of parents with disabilities in child protection," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

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