NCJ Number
248076
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2014 Pages: 1259-1266
Date Published
July 2014
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the frequency of repeated consultations by child abuse teams among children evaluated for possible physical abuse.
Abstract
This study on the frequency of repeated consultations by child abuse teams among children evaluated for possible physical abuse found that repeat consultations occurred in 3.5 percent of the cases examined, and the incidence of death was 4 percent in cases with repeated consults and 3 percent in cases with single consults. In addition, it was found that perceived likelihood of abuse from initial to repeat visit remained low in 33 percent of the cases, remained high in 24.2 percent of the cases, went from low to high in 16.5 percent of the cases, and went from high to low in 26.4 percent of the cases. The primary aims of this study were to determine the frequency of repeated consultations by child abuse teams and to describe the group of children in terms of injury pattern, perceived likelihood of abuse, disposition plan, and factors related to repeat consultation. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of children, n=2,890, who were enrolled in the ExSTRA (Examining Siblings to Recognize Abuse) study and were referred to child abuse subspecialty teams at 1 of the 20 participating academic centers around the country. Analysis of the data revealed several themes among the subset of cases suspected of repeated abuse. These themes were return to the same environment, failure to comply with a safety plan, and abuse in foster care. The findings suggest that the group of children involved in suspected cases of repeated abuse and who receive repeated consultations may be at higher risk of subsequent abuse and may provide an opportunity for improving communication efforts between child abuse specialists and child protection services. Study limitations are discussed. Tables, figure, and references