NCJ Number
142292
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (March-April 1993) Pages: 213-225
Date Published
1993
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The present study assessed maltreatment group differences in a large sample of families referred by Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies to the HOMEBUILDERS program of the Behavioral Sciences Institute in Washington State. This program is recognized nationally as an originator of the Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) placement prevention model.
Abstract
This study focused on the characteristic family and child profiles for clients in the major abuse categories and the placement outcomes for child clients in each category. HOMEBUILDERS serves children and families who are referred by public child welfare workers, serves only families on the verge of dissolution, uses the home as the primary treatment environment, makes initial family contact within 24 hours of the initial referral, provides intensive and time-limited therapeutic services, and offers multidimensional services encompassing family therapy, crisis intervention, home management, life skills training, and financial assistance. This assessment, based on the records of 854 children representing 530 families, found that the child and family characteristics of the neglect and the mixed abuse/neglect groups were similar, but both were different from the physical abuse group. The neglect and abuse/neglect families were poorer, more reliant on public welfare, and more likely to have parents with mental, drug, and health problems. More physically abusive families had lone at-risk children. Abused children tended to be about 3 years younger than children who were neglected. Most children in all maltreatment groups served by HOMEBUILDERS avoided out-of-home placement. However, significantly larger numbers of neglected and abused/neglected children were placed than the children who were physically abused. The results of intervention were particularly poor with neglectful parents. There is a need for further comparisons of the IFPS approach with other service models. Certain aspects of the IFPS program could possibly be modified to serve neglecting families, including lengthening the period of intervention and providing post-intervention support. 3 tables and 43 references