Child maltreatment during COVID‐19: Deviations from forecasted projections of criminal filings in Oklahoma in 2020

Abstract

Key Practitioner Messages• Oklahoma saw a significant drop in the number of criminal filings of child abuse and neglect during the pandemic.• Deviations from forecasted filings were largest in magnitude (À92%) in August and September 2020, when most children were unable to return to school due to closures. • Disrupted surveillance and isolations likely contributed to reduction of filings, which could be deterred by increased funding for child welfare organisations and prioritising vaccinations for teachers during pandemics.