The federal Children’s Bureau recently released its 2021 Maltreatment Report and announced without reservation that child maltreatment had decreased to a five-year low.
The metric cited was “victimization”, which is the net result of cases that were screened in, investigated, and had a maltreatment finding.
However we compiled numbers from this and past years’ reports showing that maltreatment reports increased from generally under three million between 2009-2014 to near or above four million between 2017-2021. Correspondingly, screened-out reports increased from 37% to 49%.
This suggests that perhaps increased reporting was offset by more restrictive screening practices – a hypothesis supported by this Child Welfare Monitor analysis.
Also, our report on Minnesota child fatalities shows that many children who were diverted from the investigation pool to an alternative track actually were victimized.
Before the Bureau celebrates, it should address these contrary trends.
Did the feds note that this period was during Covid? Kids were home schooled, how cases were investigated changed, court matters went virtual, etc. would be a shock if the numbers didn’t drop!
I think the Feds are trying simplify a complex problem. Across the country the guidelines for screened in cases and screened out cases of child abuse are inconsistent. The rates of violence against women and minority people have not declined. In America we look for quick fixes regarding family violence and parenting. In the process we avoid looking in the mirror regarding family and community violence. Why are more children in our nation attempting Or completing suicide?
It isn’t helpful to be simplistic about rates of children being harmed , witnessing violence or dying at the hands of caregivers. How can we learn to treat children better and support families?