Understanding the Intersection Between Economic Hardship and Child Welfare Services: Evidence from the Canadian Incidence Study for Reported Child Abuse & Neglect

Purpose:Research has shown that children from low socioeconomic status families are at five times greater risk for child abuse and neglect compared to their upper socioeconomic status counterparts (Sedlak et al., 2010). There remains a need to develop better and more consistent knowledge about how child poverty affects entry into the Canadian child welfare system. This study investigated the following research questions: (1) What is the prevalence of economic hardship among families investigated by child welfare services; (2) What are the differences in service dispositions and across maltreatment types for families who experience economic hardship; and (3) What case characteristics are associated with economic hardship?

Methods:Secondary analysis was completed using the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, 2008 (CIS-2008). Data was collected from 112 Canadian child welfare sites where workers reported on characteristics of child welfare investigations (n= 15,980). Data were weighted to be nationally representative using annualization and regionalization weights. Economic hardship was measured based on worker reports of whether or not the family regularly runs out of money to meet basic needs. We estimated unadjusted and regression adjusted risk ratios for families with economic hardship experiencing various service dispositions and by primary form of reported maltreatment. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were completed to understand which case characteristics differentiated between families who experienced economic hardship and those who did not. Covariates included child characteristics (child age and child functioning concerns), family (family composition, primary caregiver risk factors) and housing factors (overcrowded housing, household hazards, public housing). 

Results: Findings indicated that 13% of families investigated by Canadian child welfare services experienced economic hardship. Compared to families that did not experience economic hardship, families that experienced economic hardship were more likely to have confirmed risk (RR: 1.89, CIs [1.30 – 2.48]) substantiated concerns of maltreatment (RR: 1.21, CIs [1.13 – 1.29]), referral to ongoing services (RR: 1.38, CIs [1.24 – 1.52]), and placement in out-of-home care (RR: 1.29, CIs [0.74, 1.85]). Survey weighted probit regressions revealed that families who experienced economic hardship have an increased probability of several family and household risk factors. Compared to the reference groups, the probabilities of experiencing economic hardship were 8.4% higher in cases where the primary caregiver had substance use and mental health issue risk factors; 8.5% higher in cases where the primary caregiver had social risk factors (history of foster care, perpetrator and/or victim of domestic violence, or lack of social support); and 10.4% higher in cases where household hazards were observed.

Conclusions and implications: For the first time in the literature, we demonstrate that economic hardship is associated with an increased likelihood of entry into the Canadian child welfare system across all service dispositions. Families appear to have distinctly different case characteristics that may also contribute to an increased likelihood of involvement with child welfare services. More integrated services are needed to support families living in poverty who come into contact with child welfare services, particularly in the areas of caregiver risk factors and housing.