Understanding change among multi-problem families: Learnings from a formative program assessment.

This paper describes the implementation of a long-term voluntary intervention to prevent chronic maltreatment among multi-problem families with histories of child welfare involvement. A small formative evaluation included a limited number of interviews with program participants during the first year of program implementation (n=10), a retrospective case file review (n=17) of closed cases following the first three years of implementation, and notes from ongoing meetings and discussion with program staff. Findings regarding client engagement, long-term interaction between risk and services, and program refinement are discussed.

A national study of intimate partner violence risk among female caregivers involved in the child welfare system: The role of nativity, acculturation, and legal status.

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is a well-known risk for child maltreatment, little is known if the prevalence of and risk factors for IPV differ among US-born and foreign-born families involved with Child Protective Services. Data came from a new cohort of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II), a national probability study of children reported for child abuse and neglect. The study sample was restricted to female caregivers whose children remained in the home following an investigation (N=2,210).