ARCHIVED - Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2008

Executive Summary

Nico Trocmé, Barbara Fallon, Bruce MacLaurin, Vandna Sinha, Tara Black, Elizabeth Fast, Caroline Felstiner, Sonia Hélie, Daniel Turcotte, Pamela Weightman, Janet Douglas, and Jill Holroyd

The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2008 (CIS-2008) is the third nation-wide study to examine the incidence of reported child maltreatment and the characteristics of the children and families investigated by child welfare. The CIS-2008 tracked 15,980 child maltreatment investigations conducted in a representative sample of 112 Child Welfare Service organizations across Canada in the fall of 2008.

In all jurisdictions except Québec, child welfare workers completed a three-page standardized data collection form; in Québec, information was entered into an electronic form linked to the administrative information system. Weighted national annual estimates were derived based on these investigations. The following considerations should be noted in interpreting CIS statistics:

• the unit of analysis is the childmaltreatment- related investigation;
• the study is limited to reports investigated by child welfare sites and does not include reports that were screened out, cases that were investigated only by the police, and cases that were never reported;
• the data are based on assessments provided by child welfare workers and were not independently verified;
• as a result of changes in the way cases are identified, the CIS-2008 report cannot be directly compared with previous CIS reports; and
• all estimates are weighted annual estimates for 2008, presented either as a count of child maltreatmentrelated investigations (e.g., 12,300 child investigations) or as the annual incidence rate (e.g., 3.1 investigations per 1,000 children). See Chapter 2 for a full description of study methodology.

Investigated and Substantiated Maltreatment in 2008

As shown in Figure 1, of the estimated 235,842 child-maltreatment-related investigations conducted in Canada in 2008, 74% focused on possible incidents of abuse or neglect that may have already occurred (174,411 child maltreatment investigations or 28.97 investigations per 1,000 children) and 26% were concerns about risk of future maltreatment (61,431 investigations or 10.19 investigations per 1,000 children). Thirty-six percent of the investigations were substantiated (85,440 investigations or 14.19 investigations per 1,000 children). In a further 8% of investigations (17,918 investigations or 2.98 investigations per 1,000 children), there was insufficient evidence to substantiate maltreatment; however, maltreatment remained suspected by the worker at the completion of the intake investigation. Thirty percent of investigations (71,053 investigations or 11.80 investigations per 1,000 children) were unfounded. In 5% of investigations, the worker concluded there was a risk of future maltreatment (12,018 investigations or 2.00 per 1,000 children). In 17% of investigations, no risk of future maltreatment was indicated (39,289 investigations or 6.52 investigations per 1,000 children). In 4% of investigations, workers did not know whether the child was at risk of future maltreatment.

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1998-2003-2008 Comparison

Changes in rates of maltreatmentrelated investigations from 1998 to 2008 might be due to a number of factors, including (1) changes in public and professional awareness of the problem, (2) changes in legislation or in case-management practices, (3) changes in CIS study procedures and definitions, and (4) changes in the actual rate of maltreatment.

Changes in practice with respect to investigations of risk of future maltreatment pose a particular challenge since these cases were not specifically identified in the 1998 and 2003 cycles of the study. Because of this, the findings presented in this report are not directly comparable to findings presented in the CIS-1998 (Trocmé et al., 2001) and CIS-2003 (Trocmé, Fallon et al., 2005) reports, which may include some cases of risk of future maltreatment in addition to maltreatment incidents.

As shown in Figure 2, in 1998, an estimated 135,261 investigations were conducted in Canada, a rate of 21.47 investigations per 1,000 children. In 2003, the number of investigations nearly doubled, with an estimated 235,315 investigations and a rate of 38.33 per 1,000 children (Trocmé, Fallon, & MacLaurin, in press). In contrast, the rate of investigations has not changed significantly between 2003 and 2008. In 2008, an estimated 235,842 maltreatment-related investigations were conducted across Canada, representing a rate of 39.16 investigations per 1,000 children.

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Placement

The CIS tracked out-of-home placements that occurred at any time during the investigation. Workers were asked to specify the type of placement. In cases where there may have been more than one placement, workers were asked to indicate the setting where the child had spent the most time.

Figure 3 shows placement rates in 1998, 2003, and 2008. In 2008, there were no placements in 92% of the investigations (an estimated 215,878 investigations). About 8% of investigations resulted in a change of residence for the child (19,599 investigations or a rate of 3.26 investigations per 1,000 children): 4% of children moved to an informal arrangement with a relative; 4% to foster care or kinship care and fewer than 1% to a group home or residential/secure treatment.

There generally has been little change in placement rates, as measured during the maltreatment investigation, across the three cycles of the CIS, other than a moderate increase in informal placements of children with relatives.

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Ongoing Services

Workers were asked whether the investigated case would remain open for further child welfare services after the initial investigation (Figure 4). Workers completed this question on the basis of the information available at completion of the intake investigation.

Twenty-seven percent of investigations in 2008 (an estimated 62,715 investigations) were identified as remaining open for ongoing services while 73% of investigations (an estimated 172,782 investigations) were closed. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of ongoing service provision between 2003 (11.73 investigations per 1,000 children) and 2008 (10.41 per 1,000 children). In contrast, there was a substantial increase in the relative number of cases open for ongoing services from 7.27 per 1,000 children in 1998 to 11.73 per 1,000 children in 2003.

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Key Descriptions of Substantiated Maltreatment Investigations in Canada in 2008

Categories of Maltreatment

The CIS-2008 categorized maltreatment into physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional maltreatment, and exposure to intimate partner violence (Appendices F and G). Figure 5 presents the incidence of substantiated maltreatment in Canada, broken down by primary category of maltreatment. There were an estimated 85,440 substantiated child maltreatment investigations in Canada in 2008 (14.19 investigations per 1,000 children).

The two most frequently occurring categories of substantiated maltreatment were exposure to intimate partner violence and neglect. Thirty-four percent of all substantiated investigations identified exposure to intimate partner violence as the primary category of maltreatment (an estimated 29,259 cases or 4.86 investigations per 1,000 children). In another 34% of substantiated investigations, neglect was identified as the overriding concern (an estimated 28,939 investigations or 4.81 investigations per 1,000 children).

In 20% of substantiated investigations, or an estimated 17,212 cases, the primary form of maltreatment was identified as physical abuse (2.86 investigations per 1,000 children). Emotional maltreatment was identified as the primary category of maltreatment in 9% of substantiated investigations (an estimated 7,423 investigations or 1.23 investigations per 1,000 children) and sexual abuse was identified as the primary maltreatment category in 3% of substantiated investigations (an estimated 2,607 investigations or 0.43 investigations per 1,000 children).

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Physical and Emotional Harm

The CIS-2008 tracked physical harm suspected or known to be caused by the investigated maltreatment. Information on physical harm was collected using two measures: one describing the nature of harm and one describing severity of harm as measured by the need for medical treatment.

Physical harm was identified in 8% of cases of substantiated maltreatment (an estimated 7,057 substantiated investigations or 1.17 investigations per 1,000 children) (Figure 6). In 5% of substantiated investigations (an estimated 4,643 investigations or 0.77 investigations per 1,000 children), harm was noted but no treatment was required. In a further 3% of substantiated investigations (an estimated 2,414 substantiated investigations or 0.40 investigations per 1,000 children), harm was sufficiently severe to require medical treatment.

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Information on emotional harm was collected using a series of questions asking child welfare workers to describe emotional harm that had occurred because of the maltreatment incident(s). If maltreatment was substantiated, workers were asked to indicate whether the child was showing signs of mental or emotional harm (e.g., nightmares, bed wetting or social withdrawal) following the incident(s). In order to rate the severity of mental/emotional harm, workers indicated whether therapeutic intervention (treatment) was required in response to the mental or emotional distress shown by the child.

Figure 7 presents emotional harm identified during child maltreatment investigations. Emotional harm was noted in 29% of all substantiated maltreatment investigations, involving an estimated 24,425 substantiated investigations (4.06 investigations per 1,000 children). In 17% of substantiated cases (an estimated 14,720 investigations or 2.44 investigations per 1,000 children) symptoms were severe enough to require treatment.

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Children’s Aboriginal Heritage

Aboriginal heritage was documented by the CIS-2008 in an effort to better understand some of the factors that bring Aboriginal children into contact with the child welfare system. Aboriginal children were identified as a key group to examine because of concerns about their overrepresentation in the foster care system. Twenty-two percent of substantiated cases (an estimated 18,510 investigations) involved children of Aboriginal heritage, as follows: 15% First Nations status, 3% First Nations non-status, 2% Métis, 1% Inuit and 1% with other Aboriginal heritage (Figure 8).

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Child Functioning Issues

Child functioning across physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural domains was documented with a checklist of 18 issues that child welfare workers were likely to be aware of as a result of their investigation. Because the checklist documents only issues that child welfare workers became aware of during their investigation, the occurrence of these issues may have been underestimated. Workers were asked to indicate issues that had been confirmed by a diagnosis and/or directly observed by the investigating worker or another worker, disclosed by the caregiver or child, as well as issues that they suspected were problems but could not fully verify at the time of the investigation. The six-month period before the investigation was used as a reference point.

In 46% of substantiated child maltreatment investigations (an estimated 39,460 investigations or 6.55 investigations per 1,000 children) at least one child functioning issue was indicated. Figure 9 displays the six most frequently reported child functioning issues. Academic difficulties were the most frequently reported functioning concern (23% of substantiated maltreatment investigations) and the second most common was depression/anxiety/ withdrawal (19% of substantiated maltreatment investigations). Fifteen percent of substantiated maltreatment investigations involved child aggression, while 14% involved attachment issues. Eleven percent of investigations involved children experiencing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and 11% involved intellectual or developmental disabilities.

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Primary Caregiver Risk Factors

For each investigated child, the investigating worker was asked to identify the person who was the primary caregiver. A number of potential caregiver stressors were tracked by the CIS-2008; child welfare workers completed a checklist of potential stressors that they had noted during the investigation. In 78% of substantiated child maltreatment investigations (an estimated 66,282 investigations or 11.01 investigations per 1,000 children), at least one primary caregiver risk factor was reported. The most frequently noted concerns for primary caregivers were being a victim of domestic violence (46%), having few social supports (39%), and having mental health issues (27%) (Figure 10).

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Household Risk Factors

The CIS-2008 tracked a number of household risk factors including social assistance, household moves in 12 months, and household hazards. Household hazards included access to drugs or drug paraphernalia, unhealthy or unsafe living conditions and accessible weapons. Thirty-three percent of substantiated investigations involved families receiving social assistance or other benefits as their source of income. Twenty percent of investigations involved families that had moved once in the previous year. In 12% of the investigations, at least one household hazard was noted (Figure 11).

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Future Directions

The 1998, 2003, and 2008 CIS datasets provide a unique opportunity to describe changes in child maltreatment investigations across Canada over the last decade. The 2008 sample has been expanded and the changes to the procedure for classifying investigations in 2008 will allow analysts to begin to track differences between investigations of maltreatment incidents and investigations of situations reported because of risk of future maltreatment. The CIS-2008 dataset will be made available by the Injury and Child Maltreatment Section at the Public Health Agency of Canada for secondary analyses (e-mail address: child.maltreatment@phac-aspc.gc.ca). For updates and more information on the CIS-2008, visit the Child Welfare Research Portal at http://www.cwrp.ca and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Injury and Child Maltreatment Section at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/index-eng.php.