Predictors of Preventive Services Provision among Unsubstantiated Cases

Abstract

The role of child protective services in providing supportive and preventive services in unsubstantiated cases has received scant empirical attention. This article examines unsubstantiated child maltreatment reports where voluntary preventive services were provided by the state of Missouri. Logistic regression is used to isolate case characteristics that predict such services provision. Data are also presented on substantiated cases so that predictors of services provision can be contrasted to predictors of substantiation. Suggestions are provided for incorporating services provision into unsubstantiated cases as an additional dependent variable in future studies of substantiation rates.

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