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Institutional care is one of the child care strategies used to provide secure family environments to children at risk. In this vein, institutions provide care through caregivers who look after children round the clock. These caregivers are trained and expected to provide high-quality services. However, in so doing, the caregivers face several challenges. This paper is based on a qualitative study that collected data from 24 caregivers working at four childcare institutions in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study employed a multiple case study design that was embedded in a phenomenological design. Findings from the study revealed that challenges experienced by caregivers include high caseloads and lack of resources, regulations which do not promote proper child development, inadequate training for caregivers, and nonexistence of a representative body for caregivers and the existence of multiple reporting systems for children. Noteworthy, is the fact that these challenges result in the provision of inappropriate services to children in institutions culminating in dilution of quality-of-care services’ provision to children. To this end, the author suggests a redress of caregivers’ roles and revision of institutional care framework; to address the challenges faced by caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically tests the Decision-Making Ecology (DME) framework to explore which characteristics of child maltreatment cases are most influential in the decision to refer children to services. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify latent groups of child welfare organizations based on their climate and culture. We then use logistic regression models to determine whether organizational, external, case, and caseworker characteristics were predictive of children’s service referrals. Our findings revealed that organizational characteristics were a significant predictor of service referrals, as well as caseworker and external characteristics. These results support the DME framework in understanding service referral decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Parental advocacy is an emerging area of research and policy interest in Wales and across the UK. Although there is little research in the UK context to date, international research has indicated that parental advocacy can improve the relationship between parent and professional in the field of child protection social work. This paper aims to ascertain how the implementation of a parental advocacy programme supports parents to play a meaningful role in decision-making when children's services are working with them and their families. Design/methodology/approach: This study used interviews, surveys and focus groups to obtain qualitative data from 18 parents, seven parent advocates, two advocacy managers and four social workers, to explore the potential impact of parental advocacy on decision-making. The study identified challenges in implementing parental advocacy, particularly relating to awareness of the service. Participants also discussed experiences of the child protection system and how parents are supported by advocates. Findings: Despite challenges surrounding implementation, initial findings were encouraging, and generated examples of how parental advocacy services have helped parents to understand children's services and develop relationships of trust with social care professionals. In doing so, this study identified potential mechanisms that may be useful to support future service delivery. Originality/value: This paper and research is novel as it explores parental advocacy within the Welsh context. Although there has been research conducted into parental advocacy, this has largely come from the USA. This research comes from the evaluation of an innovative and promising parental advocacy scheme in Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Description Within the current climate of health care pressures, services are exploring ways in which to use resources to the best of their ability to ensure service users have timely, safe, and effective care as well as having positive outcomes and good experiences of the care they receive. The current paper explores a service level agreement between the private sector and a child and family service within the HSC. Within this agreement, has been the development of a pathway through which families on a psychological service waiting list, could be triaged, and allocated to a private clinic within which, psychological care could be provided from assessment through to discharge. The subjective experiences and initial outcomes of those involved have been largely positive. The paper describes, explores, and reflects on the process of collaborative practice. Terminology HSC – Health & Social Care. In England, Scotland and Wales, the National Health Service (NHS) provides health care services while local councils provide social care services. In Northern Ireland these services are combined under what is known as Health and Social Care (HSC) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to Nicola Hoskins-Murphy's paper, I wonder about the limitations of and contradictions embedded in the formulation of a maternal that requires foreclosure of a longed-for emergence of self and endless sacrifice in service of meeting the child's needs, and I offer a framework for a meta-examination of the structures – mythological, psychoanalytic, political, historical, and economic – that shape such maternal formulations. I examine the sense of threat that circulates in the paper around the desire for and fear of this "emergence" and wonder how a greater awareness of the social dimension the mothers and their sons are situated in might help shift its presence. I argue that there are unique new challenges to maternal subjectivity posed by children in later adolescence and in the transition to young adulthood which need further theorization in general, and suggest that feminist critical voices can support emergence that deviates from and coexists with nurturance of children, especially but not only in this developmental period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From long-term qualitative research this paper argues that Chhattisgarh's decentralised mechanisms in implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) foster increased stake of local communities and local politics, and that these work to enhance accountability and programme quality. A larger number of actors with financial interests in the scheme at the level of the sub-block ICDS 'sector' and down to the village leads to wider distribution of financial gains from delivery of ICDS Services, thereby increasing local competition and political interest from lower tiers of governance. Decentralised mechanisms work to enhance checks and balances via formal and informal routes to governance and accountability. Chhattisgarh's ICDS represents a 'hybrid model' between the short and long routes to accountability. While competing interests from local politics and institutions of governance work to improve ICDS accountability, they also work to appropriate the programme for political gain, or unfairly target ICDS workers. The paper unpacks mechanisms by which local politics relate with decentralised prescriptions in ICDS implementation. It gives the decentralised mechanisms a qualified two cheers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) can be fatal for children, and potentially limit their cognitive and physical growth. The last three National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India shows an increase in the prevalence of SAM among under-five children. Given the specific mandates under ICDS (Integrated Child Development Service) for SAM children, it is important to validate the coverage efficiency of ICDS on SAM children. This paper examines a possible association between the coverage efficiency of ICDS on SAM children. The study further aims to identify the determinants of ICDS service utilization among SAM children. We used data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey. Descriptive statistics was used to estimate the SAM coverage under ICDS. Multilevel Logistic Regression was used to identify the determinants of ICDS service utilization among SAM children. The burden of SAM is higher among older children (3+ age). Coverage of ICDS was more among younger children and the poorest households in the rural areas. Results from multilevel logistic regression showed that age had a significant relationship with the outcome variable. SAM children living in the rural areas had a significantly higher odds of being covered under ICDS service (OR 1.57; CI: (1.35, 1.82)) than their urban counterparts. Pregnant and lactating mothers who received ICDS services were significant determinants of SAM coverage under ICDS. There is no evidence that ICDS is more efficient in identifying and covering SAM children than non-SAM children. Despite special provisioning in place for SAM children, coverage of different ICDS services was similar to that of non-SAM children, and were in fact lower than non-SAM children for some categories. The study suggests that improving coverage of ICDS services among pregnant and lactating mothers would increase the coverage of ICDS services among SAM children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of, and implementation complexities associated with, service delivery models for children and young people (CYP) experiencing 'common' mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties and self-harm. This paper outlines how a model for high-quality service design for this population group was developed by identifying available services, their effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability, and the barriers and enablers to access. Methods: Sequential, mixed-methods design, combining evidence syntheses (scoping and integrative reviews of the international literature) with primary research (a collective case study in England and Wales). Data from these two elements were collaboratively synthesised in a subsequent model-building phase. Results: The scoping review yielded a service model typology. The integrative review found effectiveness evidence only for four models: collaborative care (the only service model to also have cost-effectiveness evidence), outreach approaches, brief intervention services and an organisational framework called 'Availability, Responsiveness and Continuity'. No service model seemed more acceptable than others. Three case study themes were identified: pathways to support; service engagement; and learning and understanding. The model-building phase identified rapid access, learning self-care skills, individualised support, clear information, compassionate and competent staff and aftercare planning as core characteristics of high-quality services. These characteristics were underpinned by four organisational qualities: values that respect confidentiality; engagement and involvement; collaborative relationships; and a learning culture. Conclusions: A consistent organisational evidence-base for service design and delivery in CYP's mental health spanning many years appears to have had little impact on service provision in England and Wales. Rather than impose – often inflexible and untested – specific local or national models or frameworks, those commissioning, designing and delivering mental health services for CYP should (re)focus on already known, fundamental components necessary for high-quality services. These fundamental components have been integrated into a collaboratively produced general model of service design for CYP with common mental health problems. While this general model is primarily focused on British service provision, it is broad enough to have utility for international audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The therapeutic alliance (TA) has been shown to be a predictor of psychotherapy treatment success. In the case of psychotherapy with children, there is a dearth of information on TA's role. The aims of the paper are: (1) To estimate the therapist effects on children TA; (2) to investigate if therapists' TA predicts children's TA; (3) to analyze if children's age and sex predict children's TA; (4) to evaluate if the therapist's characteristics predict children's TA. Methods: The sample consisted of 77 children undergoing psychotherapy in Argentina, and the therapists (N = 29) providing services to those children. The assessment tools utilized for the study included the Therapy Alliance Scale for Children and the Personal Style of the Therapist Questionnaire (PST‐Q). Results: Findings indicated that 2% of the children's TA was explained by the therapists (ICC = 0.02), while 17% of the therapists' TA was explained by the therapists (ICC = 0.17). Therapists' TA predicted children's TA. Children's age and sex did not have an effect on their own TA. Moreover, therapists with more experience achieved higher scores of children's TA. Finally, the Operative dimension of the PST had a negative effect on children's TA (i.e., therapists who prefer more spontaneous interventions over structured ones may experience higher levels of therapeutic alliance with child patients). Conclusion: We found a positive effect of the therapist's TA on children's TA, especially in the preference for using more spontaneous intervention techniques. We discuss the implications of the findings on the training of psychotherapists who provide services to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eating disorders are among the most serious mental health problems affecting children and young people and without appropriate treatment often have a protracted course with high levels of morbidity and mortality. While considerable progress has been made in recent years in developing effective evidence-based outpatient treatments, these are not always readily available. In England, until recently, the usual care pathway for young people with an eating disorder was referral from primary care to local generic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services with varying levels of expertise in eating disorders and a mix of outpatient treatments available. Poor treatment progress or physical deterioration would usually result in inpatient admission. Admission rates were high, with children and young people with an eating disorder accounting for nearly a quarter of all child and adolescent psychiatric hospital admissions. Inpatient treatment is costly and has high relapse rates with some evidence that it may contribute to poorer long-term outcomes in eating disorders. Accumulating clinical and research evidence that early expert outpatient treatment can significantly reduce the need for inpatient care indicates,+ that investing in dedicated community-based eating disorders services is likely to be both clinically and economically beneficial. Overview of paper: This paper describes a large-scale transformation programme following a major government investment (initially £30 million/year, since then increased to over £50 million/year) aimed at service level change in the provision of eating disorder services for children and adolescents in England. We describe the history, background, political context, and clinical and research evidence that contributed to the government's decision to invest in eating disorders. We also provide a brief account of the implementation of an England-wide whole team training to support the creation of a network of over 70 dedicated community-based eating disorders services for children and young people. Plain English summary: Eating disorders are among the most serious mental health problems affecting children and young people. There has been accumulating clinical and research evidence that early expert outpatient treatment is effective and can also significantly reduce the need for costly inpatient care, indicating that investing in community-based eating disorder services is likely to be both clinically and economically beneficial. This paper describes a large-scale service transformation programme following a major government investment (initially £30 million/year, since then increased to over £50 million/year) aimed at service level change in the provision of eating disorder services for children and adolescents in England. We describe the history, background, political context, and clinical and research evidence that contributed to the government's decision to invest in new services for eating disorders. We also provide a brief account of the implementation of an England-wide whole team training to support the creation of a network of over 70 dedicated community eating disorders services for children and young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing tendency in the field to develop partnerships between schools and mental health (MH) clinics to address the MH needs of children in schools. Such initiatives are particularly important in providing services to children who attend underfunded and understaffed schools in underserved communities. These initiatives face several challenges that can interfere with the delivery of services. The present paper presents the challenges the Derner Hempstead Child Clinic clinic has faced in providing MH services to the children and families in the town of Hempstead, and in striving to become a source of support to the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children and young people's (CYP) mental health is a major public health concern internationally and the recent Covid-19 pandemic has amplified these concerns. However, only a minority of CYP receive support from mental health services due to the attitudinal and structural barriers they and their families encounter. For over 20 years, report after report has consistently highlighted the shortcomings of mental health services for CYP in the United Kingdom and attempts to improve services have been largely unsuccessful. The findings reported in this paper are from a multi-stage study that aimed to develop a model of effective, high-quality service design for CYP experiencing common mental health problems. The aim of the stage reported here was to identify CYP's, parents' and service providers' perceptions of the effectiveness, acceptability and accessibility of services. Methods: Case studies were conducted of nine different services for CYP with common mental health problems in England and Wales. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 41 young people, 26 parents and 41 practitioners and were analysed using the Framework approach. Patient and Public Involvement was integrated throughout the study with a group of young co-researchers participating in data collection and analysis. Results: Four key themes defined participants' perceptions of service effectiveness, acceptability and accessibility. Firstly, open access to support with participants highlighting the importance of self-referral, support at the point of need and service availability to CYP/parents. Secondly, the development of therapeutic relationships to promote service engagement which was based on assessment of practitioner's personal qualities, interpersonal skills and mental health expertise and underpinned by relational continuity. Thirdly, personalisation was viewed as promoting service appropriateness and effectiveness by ensuring support was tailored to the individual. Fourthly, the development of self-care skills and mental health literacy helped CYP/parents manage and improve their/their child's mental health problems. Conclusions: This study contributes to knowledge by identifying four components that are perceived to be central to providing effective, acceptable and accessible mental health services for CYP with common mental health problems irrespective of service model or provider. These components could be used as the foundations for designing and improving services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the English NHS, integrated care is seen as an opportunity to deliver joined-up care for children and families. This paper examines the lessons learnt by professional stakeholders in the process of developing different examples of integrated models of care/frameworks for children's services. Methods: Initial desk research was undertaken to identify different examples of integrated care models and systems/frameworks for children's services. This identified forty-three examples in England. Of these, twelve examples were shortlisted after consultation with the senior managers within the Health and Care Partnership that had commissioned the research, and a more detailed online search for published documents was undertaken. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were then conducted with sixteen professional stakeholders in eight of these examples, ranging from one to four interviewees per example. Interviews focused on the lessons learnt from integrating and transforming services. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Results: The eight examples vary in their design but have several broad commonalities. A number of common themes and learning have emerged, of which two were identified within all eight examples: the first is about focusing on children and young people; the second is about focusing on partner engagement and collaboration and the importance of building trust and relationships between partners. A number of other important themes also emerged together with several challenges. Conclusions: A number of common factors were identified that are essential to success in integrating health and care systems. Common across all localities were being child-centric and focusing on child outcomes plus the importance of building trust, engagement and relationships with partners. The findings can help health and care system leaders transform services to ensure efficiency, improvement in services and integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at child psychiatric services in the private sector and all that can be done with child psychiatric services in the private sector. The need for public-private partnerships, the role of child psychiatrists in private practice providing integrated services, and the need for school mental health services by private psychiatrists is emphasized. The paper ends by emphasizing the need to focus on adolescent mental health and eradicating the stigma that surrounds child and adolescent mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foster care is a preferred alternative to residential care due to the importance of the family environment for the physical, emotional and intellectual development of the child. This enables the development of a sense of security and belonging. The paper presents an analysis of the development process of the maternal assistance network at the level of Constanta County, with emphasis on reducing the number of institutionalized children and ensuring the human resource necessary for the placement of children separated from their birth family, having consequence in optimizing and increasing the quality of services addressed to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of the paper is to show, on the example of practice, how encouraging reading in the family circle through the program "Bag of stories", which is implemented in the Public Library "Nikola Zrinski" Čakovec, affects the development of reading habits of parents and preschool children. One of the goals was to determine their reading habits and the possibilities of improving or reshaping the existing program of encouraging family reading. Methodology. The survey included 64 parents of young children that attend preschools in the wider area of the City of Čakovec, who participated in the family reading program "Bag of stories", in the period from September 22, 2021 to May 18, 2022. The research used a survey method to examine the impact of the "Bag of Stories" program on the frequency of reading in the family and to collect information about the readers' wishes and habits. Results. The results of the research indicate that a large number of families consider the program "Bag of stories", that encourages reading, very useful and stimulating for the development of reading habits and that it has increased the frequency of family reading among almost half of respondents. A large number of respondents consider the program "Bag of stories" very useful. They suggest that this type of borrowing of selected quality picture books and books on parenting in kindergarten groups should be carried out at least once a month. Regarding reading habits, it was found that slightly more than half of the respondents have at least one member of the household enrolled in the Library "Nikola Zrinski" Čakovec, and that most families have a habit of borrowing books. It was found that some respondents have developed reading habits and buy books, while some respondents do not come to the Library because they find it difficult to manage family obligations and do not find time to visit the Library. Social implications. Participation in the survey enabled parents to potentially influence the improvement of the reading encouragement program for young children and their parents implemented by the Library "Nikola Zrinski" Čakovec. Originality/value. The results of the research can be used in planning new library facilities and services for young children and their parents in the City of Čakovec, and they can also be applied in other libraries in the Republic of Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signs of Safety is a strengths-based approach to work with children and families where there are concerns about abuse or neglect. Signs of Safety is widely used in the UK and internationally, and there is a growing range of empirical research exploring its use within statutory children's social work. However, there is little research exploring how, and to what effect, Signs of Safety is being used by other childcare professionals. This paper reports on an independent evaluation of the use of Signs of Safety by an early help agency in the South West of England. At time of evaluation, the agency was commissioned by the local authority to support children and families with multiple and complex needs who did not meet the threshold for statutory children's social care involvement. The study was multiple methods with two strands. To better understand the work that the agency did, data were collected from case files, to develop a profile of families engaging with the agency. Interviews were undertaken with five practitioners about their experiences of using Signs of Safety. Saliency analysis was used to explore the qualitative data. Overall practitioners felt that Signs of Safety was accessible, supported clear communication with children and families and aided critical reflection. However, existing tensions—relating to statutory threshold decisions and multi-agency relationships—were reflected and magnified via the Signs of Safety tools. The implications of these findings are discussed, providing original insights about an issue highly relevant to national and international audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The paper discusses the implementation of a digital workspace to facilitate collaboration in health and social services for vulnerable children and adolescents in eight Norwegian municipalities. The purpose of the workspace is to enhance collaboration independent of space and time. Collaborating services are schools, kindergartens, school health services, educational services and child welfare services. Methods: The data analysed are from semi-structured interviews with project leaders in primary care, responses of primary care professionals to open questions in a survey, and results from two questions in three subsequent surveys. Results: Project leaders held great expectations of increased collaboration. Variations were found regarding how far the implementation of a new workspace precluded previous methods of collaboration and whether retaining a familiar workspace necessitated strengthening resources to negotiate using the workspace. Organisational and professional cultures hindered the implementation of the workspace. Discussion: Interrelated barriers to collaboration were found at the professional, organisational and systemic levels. Some professionals could adapt the workspace to their existing tasks while others could not. Primary care providers need to strengthen their organisations while implementing the workspace. Conclusion: Concerted action at national and municipal level is needed to successfully implement digital tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undernutrition among children under the age of five remains untracked in India. One in five children are undernourished even in Kerala, a developed south Indian state well known for its egalitarian development. The aim of this paper is to understand the social, economic, and political dimensions of undernutrition among children of age 6–60 months belonging to low socioeconomic households in Kerala. 468 children (50% girls) were surveyed. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among the study children were 25.6%, 24.4%, and 14.4%, respectively. Acute illnesses, underweight of mothers, low standard of living, and not utilizing Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Public Distribution System (PDS) increased the risk of children being undernourished. The study found that children below 5 years from low socioeconomic strata had a higher risk of being undernourished, proving the vicious cycle of poverty and undernutrition. The association between the nutritional statuses of mothers and children indicates the vulnerability of multiple members from poor households to be malnourished. The utilization of ICDS and PDS was found to improve nutritional status and hence, the state has to ensure that the benefits of these initiatives are reaching the neediest in adequate quantity and quality. Key points: Children below 5 years from low socioeconomic strata in Kerala had a higher risk of being undernourished.The link between mothers' and children's nutritional statuses highlights the importance of measuring nutritional status within the household unit.Non‐utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Public Distribution System (PDS) increased the risk of children being undernourished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a descriptive case study of the Mobeybou materials, a kit of tangible and digital tools aimed at offering young children opportunities to read, create and share intercultural stories. The tools comprise a set of story apps that present interactive, multimodal and intercultural stories for children to make meanings with, a digital manipulative (DM) and a storyMaker (a digital replication of the DM) that offer the possibility for embodied, collaborative and creative construction of stories by the children themselves. After presenting the materials, we describe how they evolved as an interface of convergence of several complementary theories. By doing this, our major intention is to contribute to the understanding that the design of tools and technologies aimed at creating meaningful and inclusive opportunities for digital story telling in troubled times is a complex, demanding endeavour, but can also be a powerful tool to address the complexities of the troubled times we are living in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars working in the area of children and youth services (CYS) have called for researchers and educators to look to disciplines outside of Library and Information Science (LIS) for inspiration in moving this area of the field forward. In this paper, we explore the opportunities provided by incorporating theoretical approaches and concepts from the fields of childhood studies, learning sciences, and educational technology in three separate special topics courses offered at the University of Kentucky. In these courses, we draw on our knowledge and expertise within fields external to LIS in order to encourage our students to think deeply and critically about how they think about, interact with, and provide services for children and youth. While two of the three courses are not solely focused on children and youth, all include content relevant to CYS professionals. In each section, we highlight the ways in which our different disciplinary expertise influences both the material we teach and the ways in which we teach. We then discuss the commonalities amongst our experiences and the potential that incorporating concepts and theories from these and other disciplines has for broadening CYS curricula more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child domestic work (CDW) is often depicted as a poverty-induced and ignorance-manufactured problem requiring urgent attention. Thus, the dominant policies in this regard have often advocated addressing the factors pushing children into domestic service while little or nothing is done about factors beyond the sending households or the structures within which the work is done. This article examines factors influencing employers' choices, and the context in which child domestic work occurs in South-West Nigeria to highlight the shortcomings of the existing explanations and strategies of addressing child domestic work. The paper contends that individual choices in child domestic work are predicated on an informal support system that thrives in the context of deficiencies in infrastructures and state welfare provision. It concludes by calling for appropriate policies to address these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Keep Children and Families Safe Act amendment to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 2003 mandated children under age three who are involved with Child Welfare (CW) to receive a referral to the system for early intervention (EI). While there is strong rationale for providing developmental services to young children and families impacted by maltreatment, the early implementation of this policy brought about many challenges related to interagency coordination and readiness of providers to provide cross-systems care. Currently, as the system and providers within the system recover from the effects of Covid-19, a predicted increase in need of services may exacerbate historical gaps in the provision of services to families involved with CW. This policy-focused paper explores issues impacting CW and EI providers who coordinate care between CW and EI services. This paper provides a historical examination of these challenges and proposes an approach for improving developmental services for families referred from CW, specifically through the lens of addressing resources and supports available to providers. The proposed approach includes an increase and reprioritization of resources to support provider readiness and well-being. By focusing on support for providers, the authors propose a reduction of stress and improvement of services at each level of the "well-being" system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) affects all children, but research on the needs and experiences of boys is lacking, support services are limited, and workers lack specialized training to meet their specific needs. This paper explores the perspectives and experiences of 404 Frontline Support Workers providing services to children with CSEA experiences in seven countries, considering trends and implications for boys. A mixed-methods online survey of 121 questions explores characteristics of cases, perceived vulnerabilities, and gender-based challenges in CSEA response. A descriptive analysis of survey data, disaggregated by country, was conducted, allowing for a discussion of broad themes and trends. Despite differences, participants described similar vulnerabilities for boys across these contexts, including poverty as well as sex and sexuality-related taboos, stigmas, and other gendered beliefs, which were perceived to not only increase vulnerability to CSEA but also complicate disclosure in all countries. The implications of these findings on service delivery and recommendations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the implementation of Family First Preservation Services Act, and to meet legal requirements set by the Indiana State Legislature in 2019, Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) implemented Indiana Family Preservation Services (INFPS) to maintain children in the home when it is deemed safe to do so. This paper explores the effects of INFPS on child removal episodes and repeat maltreatment. This study compares all children and families receiving INFPS between January 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021 to a similar cohort of in-home cases that opened between January 1, 2019 and March 31, 2019. Contribution analysis and a quasi-experimental design are employed by using administrative records and survey data collected from service providers. INFPS is associated with reduced repeat maltreatment by about 3–4 % at the case-level and about 2–3 % at the child-level. In contrast to repeat maltreatment, in both case-level and child-level analyses, INFPS was not significantly associated with decreased likelihood of child removal. Overall, these results identify short-term effectiveness of INFPS on reducing repeat maltreatment during the treatment period. Results highlight the potential utility of INFPS to improving such outcomes, through increased use of evidence-based practices (EBP). Current findings demonstrate the need for continued research on the long-term effects of INFPS on child and family outcomes. • Adherence to INFPS EBP fidelity metrics were met by most service providers. • INFPS reduced rates of repeat maltreatment in the treatment population. • Results emphasize the need to support child safety throughout cases. • Disproportionality via service provision remains a barrier under INFPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are one of the most vulnerable population groups in traffic crashes. Child safety seats (CSSs) can reduce the severity of crash outcomes for children. The use of CSSs has significantly increased in the U.S. over the last 40 years, but the use of CSSs in popular ridesharing services (RSSs), such as Uber and Lyft, is not widespread. This paper used a publicly available nationwide online survey designed to understand the knowledge and attitudes of drivers and riders toward child passenger safety in RSSs. This study performed a rigorous exploratory data analysis to identify key insights about the survey participants. A recently developed dimension-reduction method was applied to understand the co-occurrence patterns of the responses to gain intuitive insights. Finally, open ended responses of survey participants have been analyzed for further insights. The findings of this study can be used to promote new safety legislation and the use of CSSs in RSSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]