Do socio-structural factors influence the incidence and reporting of child neglect? An analysis of multi-sectoral national data from Switzerland. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Portmann, Rahel; Mitrovic, Tanja; Gonthier, Hakim; Kosirnik, Céline; Knüsel, René; Jud, Andreas
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 140(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: Child maltreatment -- Child neglect -- Child protection -- Epidemiology -- Multilevel -- Prevention; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106560
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Highlights: The number of cases of documented neglect varies up to sixfold between jurisdictions. Factors at the case, the organization and the socio-structural level have an impact. Higher vacant housing & social welfare rates increase child neglect reports. A higher single-parent household rate decreases child neglect reports. Knowledge of socio-structural risk factors allows for targeted prevention efforts. Abstract: Although there is evidence that documented child neglect is strongly related to the family's environments, environment factors are largely unexplored. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the relationship between the socio-structures in which a family is living and the number of documented cases of neglect. We used a subsample of Optimus Study 3 data, the first multi-sectoral survey of child maltreatment in Switzerland. Included in this study were 222 organizations and 4, 735 cases. The number of reported cases of child neglect varied greatly between regions, up to 6-fold from the canton with the highest number to the canton with the lowest number. Multilevel analysis revealed associations between child neglect reporting rates and cantonal vacant housing rates, social welfare rates, and single-parent household rates. At the organizational level, the sector in which an incident was referred or reported had an impact on the documented incidents of child neglect.