Neglected children in dependency cases

Background: Maltreated children in the child welfare system are a vulnerable population to negative health and developmental outcomes. However, less is known about the constellation of outcomes for children who have been neglected, especially in cases that have been mediated. Methods: Data for this study were collected via retrospective review of court files from 6 Florida counties that utilized mediation as a means to resolve dependency cases. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine relationships between variables. Results: Approximately 73% of cases had an allegation of neglect, alone or in combination with other forms of maltreatment. Neglect was significantly associated with serious physical illness for the parent (r=0.147, p<.05); parent's being recently abused by a family member (r=0.142, p<.05); an allegation of neglect for another parent in the case (r=0.438, p<.001); less compliance with visitation (r= -0.215, p<.05); and 3 or more placements for the child (r=0.155, p<.01). Cases that involved neglect also took longer to reach permanency than those without neglect. Multivariate analyses will be conducted to further explore these results. Discussion: Attention to the specific issues in dependency cases involving neglect is critical in order to develop appropriate interventions for this vulnerable population.