Citation

Fallon B, Joh-Carnella N, Trocme N, Esposito T, Hélie S, Lefebvre R. Int. J. Child Maltreat. 2022; 5(1): 1-17.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s42448-021-00110-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) is the only source of nationally aggregated information on investigated child maltreatment in Canada. This paper presents major findings from the most recent cycle of the study, the CIS-2019. Multi-staged sampling was used to select a representative sample of child welfare agencies. A 3-month sampling period was used, and data were collected from investigating child welfare workers. Complex survey design weights were applied to the selected cases to derive an annualized national estimate of maltreatment-related investigations. Due to provincial-level differences in capacity and study funding, Ontario data were collected in 2018, and separate data collection procedures were used in Quebec. An estimated 299,171 investigations were conducted in Canada in 2019 (48.22 investigations per 1000 children). Thirty-four percent of these investigations were for substantiated maltreatment, and exposure to intimate partner violence was the most frequently noted subtype of substantiated maltreatment. Four percent of substantiated investigations involved physical harm to the child, and 35% involved emotional harm. Twenty percent of investigations were transferred to ongoing child welfare services, and an out-of-home placement was made in 5% of investigations. The rate of investigations in Canada in 2019 was higher than those reported in previous CIS cycles and in Australian and American studies. The data from the CIS-2019 fill a gap in knowledge with respect to child welfare services in Canada and will be foundational for the development of policies related to protecting children and promoting their well-being.

Language: en

Keywords

Abuse; Canada; Child maltreatment; Child welfare; Neglect