Predictors of Substantiated Re-Reports in a Sample of Children with Initial Unsubstantiated Reports

Background:

During 2013, 58% of suspected child abuse reports to Child Protection Services (CPS) were not substantiated (USDHHS, 2015).  However, time to re-report or recurrence may be similar for substantiated and unsubstantiated cases and “alleged perpetrators who had been unsubstantiated for prior reports return to the system at high rates compared to perpetrators who had been substantiated for child maltreatment” (NRCCM, 2002, p. 15). Research has found many factors are associated with the risk to be re-reported, including the characteristics of the child and family (Drake et al., 2003; English, Marshall, & Orme, 1999, Fluke et al., 2005), the environment (Proctor et al., 2012) and the maltreatment allegations (Bae, Solomon, & Gelles, 2007). The period between the time of the first report and the repeated reports varies greatly. In addition, there are several limitations in many previous studies: lack of information about case disposition or only including substantiated cases; conducted within one state; and short observation periods. This study addresses these issues by focusing on cases that were initially unsubstantiated, including data from five states, and following the cases for extended periods of time.

Study aims:

1. To identify time periods between repeated maltreatment-reports.

2. To identify factors associated with repeated reporting and with substantiation of maltreatment.

Method:

The study analyzed secondary data from the Longitudinal Studies on Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). The average age of the children at the first report was 1.30 years (SD = 1.72), 51% were female, and 35% were black. The most common initial allegation was for neglect (63%) and parental substance abuse was involved in 43% of the cases. Life tables were used to describe time from the initial unsubstantiated report until a repeated report was substantiated. Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors (child, parent, social support, and allegation of maltreatment) that were associated with time to later substantiation.

Results:

Of 410 cases with an initial unsubstantiated report, over half (n = 230, 56%) had a later report that was substantiated. Children were at greatest risk of being substantiated within three years after the initial report (45%) and particularly within the first year (30%). Child’s age, parent’s age, marital status and severity of the harm were significantly associated with substantiation of a later report. Younger children (B = .851, p<0.05), younger parent (B = .400, p<0.05) marital status (B= 1.634, p<0.05), and cases with more severe harm (B = 1.160, p <0.05) were more likely to be re-reported and later substantiated.

 

Discussion:

More than half of the initially unsubstantiated reports were re-reported and later substantiated, with most of the substantiations occurring within the three years following the initially unsubstantiated report. The findings demonstrate that unsubstantiated cases have a significant potential of being substantiated in the future, suggesting the potential need for services for families reported for child maltreatment, even if the report is not substantiated.  Secondary prevention efforts could be targeted for families with younger children who have experienced more serious harm and younger parents.