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In this issue

Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS)

Staff Changes at CHIRPP

6th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Control

The Canadian Injury Research Network

"Wassup B-boyz!" Injuries Associated with Breakdancing 

Introducing the National Alliance for Safe Sport

The CHIRRP Sampler: Injuries Associated with Unpowered Scooters

Welcome to CHIRPP News

 

 

 

   Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

CHIRPP News
Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program
Issue 20
September 2001

Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS)

The Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) was launched in May of this year (2001). The report is the first nation-wide study to examine the incidence of child maltreatment in Canada. Prior to this study, there was no central source of comprehensive, Canada-wide statistics on children and families investigated because of suspected child abuse and neglect. This has hampered efforts to develop effective policies, programs, and interventions. The CIS provides a snapshot of children who were reported to, and investigated by, child welfare services during a three-month period, from October to December 1998.

Child Maltreatment in CanadaThe CIS helps to fill a nation-wide need for accurate data on child maltreatment. Among the most thorough of its kind in the world, this study provides detailed estimates of the scope and characteristics of child abuse and neglect across Canada.

The CIS was conducted by the Bell Canada Child Welfare Research Unit at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, through funding from Health Canada. The CIS had the full participation of all provincial and territorial governments. Four provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland) provided additional funds to increase the sample size in their jurisdiction.

The study's aims were as follows:

  • to examine the rates of investigated physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment, as well as multiple forms of maltreatment;
  • to examine the severity of maltreatment as indicated by duration and physical and emotional harm;
  • to examine selected determinants of health for investigated children and their families; and
  • to monitor short-term investigation outcomes, including substantiation rates, out-of-home placement, use of child welfare court, and criminal prosecution.

There were an estimated 21.52 investigations of child abuse and neglect per 1,000 children in Canada in 1998.

The key points presented here on physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment are based on 7,672 investigations from 51 sites in all provinces and territories.

Methods

The CIS captured information about children and their families as they came into contact with child welfare services over a three-month sampling period, from October to December 1998. Each province and territory was represented in the study, as were aboriginal child welfare agencies. A multi-stage sampling design was used, first to select a sample of child welfare offices across Canada, and then to select cases within those offices. Fifty-one sites, including three aboriginal agencies, were selected from a pool of 327 child welfare service areas in Canada, all but four being randomly selected.

Information was gathered on all investigated cases of child maltreatment at the study sites. The CIS included 22 forms of maltreatment under four main categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional maltreatment. The final sample of 7,672 child maltreatment investigations was used to derive national estimates of the annual incidence of investigated child maltreatment in Canada.

When interpreting these results, it is important to realize that they come from a sample of child maltreatment cases that were investigated by child welfare workers. The study does not include the following:

  • cases investigated only by the police;
  • cases known to other professionals but not reported to child welfare;
  • cases of child maltreatment that are known by the larger community and not reported.

Thus, the CIS estimates represent a portion of all child maltreatment occurrences.

Finally, it is important to note that while the sample is large, the data are national in scope and cannot be used to determine provincial or territorial rates of child maltreatment.

Results

In Canada, there were an estimated 21.52 investigations of child abuse and neglect per 1,000 children in 1998. Of these, 9.71 were substantiated (i.e. confirmed or verified), 4.71 were suspected but not confirmed, and 7.09 were unsubstantiated (i.e. sufficient evidence existed to conclude that maltreatment had not occurred).

  • In 1998, there were an estimated 21.52 investigations of child maltreatment per 1,000 children in Canada. Forty-five percent of these investigations were substantiated, 22% remained suspected, and 33% were found to be unsubstantiated.
  • Child maltreatment investigations were divided into four primary categories: physical abuse (31% of all investigations), sexual abuse (10% of all investigations), neglect (40% of all investigations), and emotional maltreatment (19% of all investigations).
  • Thirty-four percent of the physical abuse investigations were found to be  substantiated. This compares with 38% for sexual abuse, 43% for neglect, and 54% for emotional maltreatment.
  • Substantiated cases of physical abuse consisted of:
    - Inappropriate punishment (69% of physical abuse cases)
    - Shaken Baby Syndrome (1%)
    - Other forms of physical abuse (31%)
  • The most common forms of substantiated sexual abuse included:
    - Touching and fondling of the genitals (68% of sexual abuse cases)
    - Attempted and completed sexual activity (35%)
    - Adults exposing their genitals (12%)
  • The most common forms of substantiated neglect included:
    - Failure to supervise leading to physical harm (48% of neglect cases)
    - Physical neglect (19%)
    - Permitting criminal behaviour (14%)
    - Abandonment and educational neglect (12% and 11% respectively) 
  • Substantiated cases of emotional maltreatment included:
    - Exposure to family violence (58% of emotional maltreatment cases)
    - Emotional abuse (34%)
    - Emotional neglect (16%)

 

For copies of the reports, Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect: Final Report and Child Maltreatment in Canada : Selected Results from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, please contact:

National Clearinghouse on Family Violence
A.L. 1907D1
7th Floor, Jeanne Mance Bldg.
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 1B4

Telephone:    1-800-267-1291 or (613) 957-2938
Fax:     (613) 941-8930
Website:     www.hc-sc.gc.ca/nc-cn

This is but a sample of the data collected through the CIS. For more information on the study please contact :

Child Maltreatment Division
A.L. 0701D
HPB Bldg #7, Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0L2

Telephone:    (613) 957-4689
Fax:     (613) 941-9927
Website:     www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cm-vee/index.html

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