Inadequate Housing Among Families Under Investigation for Child Abuse and Neglect: Prevalence from a National Probability Sample

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of inadequate housing that threaten out-of-home placement among families under investigation by child welfare. Data came from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a nationally representative longitudinal survey of child welfare-involved families. Child protective services caseworkers as well as caregivers provided information on families whose child remained in the home after initial investigation (N = 3,867). Multilevel latent class analyses tested the presence of inadequately housed subgroups using 4 housing problem indicators at baseline. Logistic regressions assessed convergent and predictive validity. A two class latent solution best fit the data. Findings indicated that inadequate housing contributed to risk for out-of-home placement in approximately 16 % of intact families under investigation by child protective services. These families were 4 times more likely to need housing services 12 months later. Federal legislation emphasizes integration of social services as necessary to end homelessness. This study demonstrates overlap across public agencies. Enhanced coordination of child welfare and housing services facilitates interventions to prevent and mitigate homelessness.

Medical-Legal Strategies to Improve Infant Health Care: A Randomized Trial

“…21 In addition to the direct health outcomes, economic hardship leads to increased risk for child maltreatment. 22,23 As shown in Fig 1, the family stress model 24 suggests that economic hardship leads indirectly to child abuse and neglect.…”

Child maltreatment and pediatric asthma: a review of the literature

“…For example, physically unsafe and dilapidated housing conditions may go hand in hand with exposure to mold, house dust, allergens, and phthalates, known contributors to asthma [7, 34–36]. Studies show that substantiated cases of child neglect frequently involve unsafe housing environments [37, 38]. …”

Housing mobility and cognitive development: Change in verbal and nonverbal abilities

“…Only one-in-four eligible families receive rental assistance through public housing programs (Rice & Sard, 2009), and communities struggle to provide timely emergency housing through the homeless system. Although mobile families frequently interact with other public agencies including the child welfare system, housing resources are scarce with little evidence to support their utility in stabilizing families (Fowler et al, 2013). Opportunities to intervene with insecurely housed families are frequently missed.…”

“…Inadequately housed families interact with multiple social service systems, including healthcare, mental health, schools, speech pathology, homelessness services, public assistance, child welfare, as well as others. Few comprehensive approaches exist to triage high-risk families (Fowler et al, 2013). Connections between service systems provide opportunities to direct housing resources to prevent instability and promote healthy child development.…”