Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Purpose. Estimates of maltreatment of children with disabilities range from 1.7 times greater than maltreatment of children without disabilities (Westat, 1993) to 3.4 times greater (Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). Sullivan & Knutson (2000) estimated that the rate of maltreatment for children with disabilities was 31%. Despite the knowledge that children with disabilities are experiencing high rates of maltreatment, there is little knowledge regarding how the child welfare system provides services to such children or their families. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the delivery of child protection services by county child protection (CPS) agencies involving cases with a family member with a disability.

Methods. Telephone surveys were conducted with the directors or their designees of 89% of the 84 county CPS agencies within a midwestern state. Respondents were asked open and closed ended questions about the policies and/or procedures for approaching cases involving a person with a disability and the barriers and strengths agencies have in serving people with disabilities. Two researchers independently coded each interview using an established start list. Researchers then reconciled the two sets of coded data, adding additional themes to those first established, grounding those codes empirically in the study. Researchers reviewed all interview data to ensure uniform application of new themes, and collapsed similar codes into broader codes. Coded data were then entered into SPSS for descriptive analysis and for comparisons between rural and non-rural counties.

Findings. Only 6.7% of respondents reported that their agency had a written policy related to serving persons with disabilities. There were 18 different approaches to serving clients with a disability within CPS, and these were classified into six broad categories: formal case management approaches, informal case management approaches, collaborative approaches, training approaches, systems-related approaches and practice approaches. The most common approaches were informally teaming for information (70.7%), dual case assignment (41.3%), and teaming with an outside consultant (41.3%). Five counties had specialty workers who were experts in both child protection and disability. Barriers reported varied between rural and non-rural counties, with the most important barriers being lack of resources, lack of knowledge regarding disabilities, systems conflicts, and rural issues, such as lack of providers and lack of transportation. Strengths included accessing and coordinating services, individualizing services, good collaboration and creativity.

Implications: While few county CPS agencies had any written policies, both formal and informal collaboration is happening at both the individual and county levels. The lack of standardization in providing services indicates a need for more attention to issues regarding disability within child protection. Clear policies, better training, and purposeful avenues for collaboration between CPS and disability professionals can aid in providing services to people with disabilities in the CPS system.

Sullivan, P., & Knutson, J. (2000). Maltreatment and disabilities: A population-based epidemiological study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(10), 1257-1273.

Westat, I. (1993). A report on the maltreatment of children with disabilities. Washington, DC: National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect.