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Urgent Protection versus Chronic Need: Clarifying the Dual Mandate of Child Welfare Services across Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Nico Trocmé

    (School of Social Work, McGill University, 3506 University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada)

  • Alicia Kyte

    (School of Social Work, University of Montreal, Pavillon Lionel Groulx, C.P 6128, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Vandna Sinha

    (School of Social Work, McGill University, 3506 University, Montreal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Barbara Fallon

    (Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor W, Toronto, ON M5S 1V4, Canada)

Abstract

This study analyzed data from the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of reported child abuse and neglect (CIS) and compared the profile of children who were reported for an urgent protection investigation versus any other investigation or assessment. As a proportion of all investigations, urgent protection cases have dropped from 28% of all investigations in 1998, to 19% in 2003, to 15% in 2008. Results from the CIS-2008 analysis revealed that 7% of cases involved neglect of a child under four, 4% of cases involved sexual abuse, 2% of cases involved physical abuse of a child under four and 1% of cases involved children who had sustained severe enough physical harm that medical treatment was required. The other 85% of cases of investigated maltreatment involved situations where concerns appear to focus less on immediate safety and more on the long-term effects of a range of family related problems. These findings underscore the importance of considering the dual mandate of child welfare mandates across Canada: intervening to assure the urgent protection and safety of the child versus intervening to promote the development and well-being of the child.

Suggested Citation

  • Nico Trocmé & Alicia Kyte & Vandna Sinha & Barbara Fallon, 2014. "Urgent Protection versus Chronic Need: Clarifying the Dual Mandate of Child Welfare Services across Canada," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:3:y:2014:i:3:p:483-498:d:39640
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Conley, Amy, 2007. "Differential response: A critical examination of a secondary prevention model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(11), pages 1454-1468, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Esposito, Tonino & Chabot, Martin & Caldwell, Johanna & Webb, Calum & Delaye, Ashleigh & Fluke, John D. & Trocmé, Nico & Bywaters, Paul, 2022. "The differential association of socioeconomic vulnerabilities and neglect-related child protection involvement across geographies: Multilevel structural equation modeling," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    2. Emily Keddell, 2014. "Current Debates on Variability in Child Welfare Decision-Making: A Selected Literature Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-25, November.
    3. King, Bryn & Black, Tara & Fallon, Barbara & Lung, Yu, 2021. "The role of risk in child welfare decision-making: A prospective cohort examination of families transferred to ongoing child protection services after an investigation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    4. Bilson, Andy & Munro, Elizabeth Hunter, 2019. "Adoption and child protection trends for children aged under five in England: Increasing investigations and hidden separation of children from their parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 204-211.
    5. Hébert, Sophie T. & Esposito, Tonino & Hélie, Sonia, 2018. "How short-term placements affect placement trajectories: A propensity-weighted analysis of re-entry into care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 117-124.
    6. Robichaud, Marie-Joëlle & Pullen Sansfaçon, Annie & Poirier, Marie-Andrée, 2020. "Decision making at substantiation in cases involving racialized families: Child protection workers’ perceptions of influential factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    7. Mohamud, Faisa & Edwards, Travonne & Antwi-Boasiako, Kofi & William, Kineesha & King, Jason & Igor, Elo & King, Bryn, 2021. "Racial disparity in the Ontario child welfare system: Conceptualizing policies and practices that drive involvement for Black families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).

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