Recent Trends in Local Child Protective Services Practices

This study examines changes in policies and procedures in local child protective services (CPS) agencies between 2002 and 2005-2006. The analysis is intended to identify noteworthy changes or developments in recent years in each of four topical areas covered by the surveys analyzed: administration and staffing; screening and intake procedures; investigation of maltreatment allegations; and alternative CPS responses. The study also sought to determine whether changes in practice or policy were associated with changes in maltreatment reporting or victimization. Baseline data comes from the 2002 National Study of Child Protective Services Systems and Reform Efforts. The 2005-2006 data come from the CPS Structure and Practices Mail Survey, which is a substudy of the Fourth National Incidence Study on Child Abuse and Neglect. Both studies surveyed administrators of nationally representative samples of CPS agencies and used nearly identical survey instruments to collect information about local agencies investigative practices. [60 PDF pages]