New Data on States' Child Maltreatment Definitions and Policies: An Introduction to the Data and Research Possibilities of the State Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Policies Database

Although federal law is the foundation of the child welfare system, states drive much of the structure of their own systems. State laws and the policies states set to enforce these laws have different definitions of child abuse and neglect and different policies for reporting and responding to child maltreatment. The new State Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Policies Database compiles data on states' definitions and related policies for child abuse and neglect. This new data can help researchers, analysts, policymakers, and others broaden their understanding of differences between states and how these differences may influence rates of child maltreatment. The SCAN Policies Database is funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in collaboration with the Children's Bureau. The workshop provides an introduction for researchers interested in using the SCAN Policies Database, including how the data can be used to advance research in the field.

The workshop will start with an overview of the importance and challenges of understanding child maltreatment incidence across states. The SCAN Policies Database team will provide an overview of the new data resource. Workshop participants will also learn how to access the data and data-use resources available from the SCAN Policies Database website, including an online data exploration tool. A representative from the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN) will also share how to access the SCAN Policies Database in a variety of file formats from NDACAN, plus they will provide an overview of what technical assistance is available.

Also, a primary benefit of these data is to allow researchers to link the SCAN Policies Database to other data sources, so we can learn new information and answer important questions about how variations in states' definitions and policies may relate to child maltreatment incidence and key aspects of the child welfare system response. Presenters will also share information about other data sources that are available through NDACAN that could be used for linking with the SCAN Policies Database, such as data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), and national surveys. Presenters will also show how including SCAN data into analyses has the potential to alter some associations using the AFCARS and NCANDS data, demonstrating the benefits of the data.

The workshop will also highlight recent research using the SCAN Policies Database, demonstrating how the data can provide new insights regarding state variability of definitions and policies to better understand child maltreatment incidence. Workshop presenters will discuss research questions that can be answered with the SCAN Policies Database, including how state definitions and policies are associated with the incidence of child maltreatment, the child welfare system response, and ultimately, the safety and well-being of children. Presenters will also offer suggestions of methods that can be used to analyze the data. The workshop will include time for questions and discussion to help participants consider how the data can be used to support their research.