The evidence base for risk assessment tools used in U.S. child protection investigations: A systematic scoping review

Claire R McNellan; Daniel J Gibbs; Ann S Knobel; Emily Putnam-Hornstein

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105887

The evidence base for risk assessment tools used in U.S. child protection investigations: A systematic scoping review

Child Abuse Negl. 2022 Dec:134:105887. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105887. Epub 2022 Sep 21.

Authors

Claire R McNellan¹, Daniel J Gibbs², Ann S Knobel³, Emily Putnam-Hornstein⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, 325 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550, United States of America. Electronic address: clairerm@email.unc.edu.
² School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, 325 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550, United States of America.
³ Human Development and Family Studies Department, Pennsylvania State University, 133 Health and Human Development Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America.
⁴ School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, 325 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550, United States of America; USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Montgomery Ross Fisher Building, 669 W 34th St., Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, United States of America; School of Social Welfare, University of California, 120 Haviland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-7400, United States of America.

PMID: 36152529
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105887

Abstract

Background: Child protective services (CPS) agencies use risk assessment tools to augment decision making about alleged child maltreatment. Under the Family First Prevention Services Act, states and tribes are permitted to claim federal reimbursement for prevention services for children at imminent risk of entering foster care based on assessment tools and protocols. In this context, existing tools are being repurposed. It is critical to reassess the evidence supporting their use.

Objective: We aimed to synthesize the evidence pertaining to validity and reliability of specific risk assessment tools designed for CPS agencies, summarize how this work has been carried out, and review the conceptual dimensions of risk included in each tool.

Participants and setting: We included United States-based, quantitative evaluations of risk assessment tools published between 1990 and May 2021.

Methods: We carried out a scoping review using a protocol in alignment with PRISMA-ScR. We used a multiphase selective screening approach with at least two screeners.

Results: In total, 25 studies met inclusion criteria. Overall, research about the validity and reliability of risk assessment tools is dated and heterogeneous in methodology. The conceptualizations of risk assessment and the operationalization of risk also varied widely. There was a general dearth of evidence that supported the use of tools across demographic subgroups.

Conclusions: Heterogeneity of studies assessing tool validity and reliability suggests a lack of agreement about how to assess tools and makes it difficult to interpret findings across studies. Agencies should be cautious about overreliance on tools for which evidence is limited.

Keywords: Child maltreatment; Child protection; Risk assessment; Standardized tools.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Child Protective Services*
Family*
Foster Home Care
Humans
Reproducibility of Results
Risk Assessment
United States