{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T02:00:31Z","timestamp":1777514431253,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,7,29]],"date-time":"2015-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1438128000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Child Maltreat"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Keeping children safe in out-of-home care requires an understanding of the contexts under which maltreatment occurs. This study examines how maltreatment investigations differ across four settings (nonrelative foster, informal kinship, formal kinship, and congregate care). I focus on four elements of maltreatment: the perpetrator\u2019s role (e.g., out-of-home caregiver and peer), maltreatment type, probability of substantiation, and victim characteristics. I use statewide Wisconsin administrative data in years 2005\u20132012, which has an analytic sample of over 96,000 placements. Data are analyzed using descriptive statistics and multi-level logistic regression. Alleged maltreatment is not uncommon in out-of-home care\u2014the total investigation rate ranged from 5% (congregate care) to 15% (informal kinship care). Four percent of all placements were investigated for maltreatment by an out-of-home caregiver, of which 9% were substantiated. Maltreatment by peers (siblings or other foster children) was investigated in 1% of all placements, of which 20% were substantiated. Neglect was the most commonly alleged maltreatment type in informal kinship care, whereas physical abuse was most commonly alleged in all other placement types. Children who were female, Black, or between ages 6 and 10 experienced heightened risk of maltreatment in out-of-home care.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1077559515597064","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,7,29]],"date-time":"2015-07-29T22:00:17Z","timestamp":1438207217000},"page":"251-257","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Child Protection Investigations in Out-of-Home Care"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Sarah A.","family":"Font","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Texas at Austin, Population Research Center, Austin, TX, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baker A. J. L., Brassard M. R., Schneiderman M. S., Donnelly L. J. (2013). Foster children\u2019s report of psychological maltreatment experiences. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 7, 235\u2013252. Retrieved from http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/15548732.2013.779624","DOI":"10.1080\/15548732.2013.779624"},{"key":"bibr2-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0145-2134(94)90084-1"},{"key":"bibr3-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0145-2134(96)00044-0"},{"key":"bibr4-1077559515597064","volume-title":"Income and child maltreatment: Evidence from the EITC","author":"Berger L. M.","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr5-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1787\/5kgf09zj7h9t-en"},{"key":"bibr6-1077559515597064","volume-title":"Keeping children safe: Allegations concerning the abuse or neglect of children in care","author":"Biehal N.","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr7-1077559515597064","volume-title":"Maltreatment and allegations of maltreatment in foster care: A review of the evidence: Social Policy Research Unit","author":"Biehal N.","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr8-1077559515597064","unstructured":"Casey Family Programs. (2007). Use of kin placements to divert from foster care\/custody. In State Child Welfare Policy Database. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.childwelfarepolicy.org\/maps\/single?id=1"},{"key":"bibr9-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1602755"},{"key":"bibr10-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2004.11.010"},{"key":"bibr11-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dolan M. M., Casanueva C., Smith K. R., Bradley R. H. (2009). Parenting and the home environment provided by grandmothers of children in the child welfare system. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 784\u2013796. 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Retrieved from http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cdev.12241","DOI":"10.1111\/cdev.12241"},{"key":"bibr16-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/cdev.12322"},{"key":"bibr17-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chiabu.2015.02.005"},{"key":"bibr18-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Harden B. J., Clyman R. B., Kriebel D. K., Lyons M. E. (2004). Kith and kin care: Parental attitudes and resources of foster and relative caregivers. Children and Youth Services Review, 26, 657\u2013671. 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S., Berger L. M., DuMont K., Yang M.Y., Kim B., Ehrhard-Dietzel S., Holl J. L. (2011). Risk and protective factors for child neglect during early childhood: A cross-study comparison. Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 1354\u20131363. Retrieved from http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.childyouth.2011.04.024","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2011.04.024"},{"key":"bibr28-1077559515597064","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Slack K. S., Holl J. L., McDaniel M., Yoo J., Bolger K. (2004). Understanding the risks of child neglect: An exploration of poverty and parenting characteristics. Child Maltreatment, 9, 395\u2013408. 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A., Longobardi R. C., Valentine D. P. (2008). Matched comparison of children in kinship care and foster care on child welfare outcomes. Families in Society, 89, 338\u2013347. 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