Despite consensus about the need to coordinate services for neglected children and their families due to the co-morbidity of neglect with other social problems, we lack even a basic understanding of the cross-sector service patterns of this population. This gap in the knowledge base serious hampers efforts to evaluate services and policy in order to improve the efficiency and efficacy of services. """"""""Child Neglect: Cross Sector Service Paths & Outcomes"""""""" (CSSPO), will address this gap through a large-scale longitudinal analysis of cross-sector utilization by neglected children and their families which is linked to outcomes at the family (e.g. family reunification, etc.) and child (e.g. death, incarceration) levels. Using administrative data drawn from education, health, juvenile justice and social service, agencies, this accelerated panel study compares the cross sector service paths and outcomes of children in families receiving AFDC and reported to child welfare agencies for (1) neglect (n=4,880), (2) physical abuse (n=1,394), (3) sexual abuse (n=358); and, (4) more than one type of maltreatment (n=1,242). These groups will be compared to a matched group of children in families receiving AFDC in 1993, but not reported to child welfare agencies (n=8,000) Within each sample group, children aged birth to 12 years will be grouped into four age cohorts (birth to 3 years, 3 to 6 years, 6 to 9 years, and 9 to 11 years) and followed for eight years (1993-2001). The accelerated panel designs allows for the statistical analysis of 19 years of development in only eight years. This proposal addresses several gaps in the research as identified by the current RFA, combining a focus on service delivery with consideration of consequences (our outcomes) related to neglect. The study will examine: (1) Cross-sector service use consideration of consequences (our outcomes) related to neglect. The study will examine: (1) Cross-sector service use consideration of consequences (our outcomes) related to neglect. The study will examine: (1) Cross-sector service use (sequence, frequency, co-occurrence & duration) in the five study groups. (2) The relationship of service patterns to later child and adolescent outcomes (e.g. mortality, foster care entry, entry into Special Education, etc.). (3) The later child and adolescent outcome s(e.g. mortality, foster care entry, entry into Special Education, etc.) (3) The association between positive family outcomes in child welfare and income maintenance programs (e.g. employment reunification, etc.) with child and adolescent outcomes. Analyses will be conducted within an ecodevelopmental framework, examining the influence of neglect while controlling for child, family, service sector use and community level factors. This study will build knowledge critical to effective service delivery and policy development related to serving children and their families reported to child welfare agencies for neglect.
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