An article called "Is child protective services effective?" in this month's Children and Youth Services Review finds that CPS involvement does not reduce the risk of further substantiated maltreatment. It highlights both the need to improve interventions and questions current mandates that are not garnering results.
As the article explains, one possible reason interventions may be less effective is that most CPS cases are opened for neglect, not abuse, and most services are aimed at eliminating abuse. If neglect has a different origin, and results more from socio-economic factors, then the current family-based services would miss the mark. As poverty is considered an ACE and serves as a risk for adverse outcomes, is it time for CPS services to once again include antipoverty interventions in its repertoire?
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