The cost of child abuse and neglect in France: The case of children in placement before their fourth birthday.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of child abuse and neglect and its consequences on health, very few studies have evaluated the trajectories of children in placement in France, and there are no cost studies available.

Objective: To estimate the cost of abuse and neglect in children in placement before their 4th birthday in France.

Participants And Setting: A cohort of children in placement before their 4th birthday in a single nursery between February 1994 and June 2001 was followed from birth until they left care.