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Introduction to the theme of the Working Group 1: policy priorities and data needs regarding the protectionof children against exploitation and violence

John Fluke, Ph.D.

Vice President,Child Protection Research CenterChild WelfareAmerican Humane Association

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Stakeholders Meeting “Applying FRA’s indicators on the rights of the child: policy priorities for data collection”22 February, 2011

• Relation with EU context:1. ChildONEurope is the scientific support of the permanent Inter-

governmental group L’Europe de l’Enfance 2. Official member of the EU Forum established by the EU Commission

Communication on a new EU strategy on children’s rights (4 July 2006)• Review on national systems of statistics and registration on

child abuse (concluded in 2007) www.childoneurope.org • Working group composition: experts coming from the

ChildONEurope Partners • Guidelines published in 2009.

http://www.childoneurope.org/issues/publications/childabuse_guidelines.pdf

Bianchi D., & Ruggiero R. (2009). Guidelines on data collection and monitoring systems on child abuse. ChildONEurope. Florence, Italy.

ChildONEurope Guidelines

Steps in designing and building a child maltreatment data collection and surveillance system from

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International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Child Maltreatment Data Working Group Toolkit, 2010

Example Comparative Data Child Maltreatment Data Collection with Some Pertinence to the European Area

• World Perspectives 2008 and 2010

• UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS3) – Parental Child Discipline

• Balkan Area Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (BECAN)

• Multiple Indicator Analysis of Child Maltreatment in Six Countries

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Figure 1 - Official Response/Investigation

Rate per 1,000 Children During the Year*

1,2,3,4,5

21.5

45.7

36.138.2

41.2 42.1 42.1 42.2 42.0 41.9 42.1 41.0 42.0 43.2 43.946.3 48.1 48.3

9.3 9.0 8.2 9.411.2 11.1 9.2

14.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Australia Canada U.S.

Figure 2 - Officially Recognized as Abused or Neglected Rate per 1,000 Children During

the Year* 1,2,3,4

4.6 4.5 4.4 4.9 5.66.8

5.0

7.59.6

21.7

13.4 14.015.1 15.3 15.2 14.7 14.7

13.7 12.911.8 12.2 12.5 12.3 12.2 12.0 12.1

2.70 3.002.802.802.802.702.502.402.602.702.500

5

10

15

20

25

Australia Canada England U.S.

Figure 1 - Official Response/Investigation

Rate per 1,000 Children During the Year*

1,2,3,4,5

21.5

45.736.1

38.241.2 42.1 42.1 42.2 42.0 41.9 42.1 41.0 42.0 43.2 43.9

46.3 48.1 48.3

9.3 9.0 8.2 9.4 11.2 11.1 9.214.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Australia Canada U.S.

4.6 4.5 4.4 4.9 5.66.8

5.0

7.59.6

21.7

2.50 2.70 2.70 2.60 2.40 2.50 2.70 2.80 2.80 2.80 3.00

13.4 14.015.1 15.3 15.2 14.7 14.7

13.712.9

11.8 12.2 12.5 12.3 12.2 12.0 12.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

ISPCAN World Perspsectivse Working Group Comparison of Trends Examples - Officially

Recognized as Abused or Neglected Rate per 1,000 Children During the Year* 1,2,3,4

Australia Canada England U.S.

UNICEF MICS3: Prevalence Among Those Children Who Experience Severe Physical Discipline - Do you believe to bring up child properly need to physically punish him/her?

Balkan Area Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (BECAN) - Centre for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

• Aims– Facilitate CRC Policy Development & Implementation

– Facilitate Prevention Planning

– Improve Budget Planning

– Harmonize Definitions and Diagnoses

– Develop Child Maltreatment Surveillance Infrastructure & Expertise

• Self Report Study of Older Children– Sample of 30.000

– ISPCAN I-CAST instruments

– Nine Countries Participating

• Ethical Review Just Completed

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Multi-Indicators Trends: Incidence rate ratios for maltreatment indicators compared with Country A, based on 3 year average rate centred on 2005 or 2006. Incidence Rate Ratio is presented for < 1 year (on left), 1-<5 years, and 5+ years (on right)

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Country B Country C Country D Country E Country FNotif, notifications. Inv, investigations. ORM, officially recognised maltreatment. OR Neg, officially recognised neglect. ORPA, officially recognised physical abuse. OHC, out of home care. MR, maltreatment-related hospital admissions for injury. M+A, maltreatment syndrome or assault. Deaths, homicides and violent deaths.

ExternalFactors

Decision Maker Factors

Organizational Factors

DecisionMaking

Outcomes

Influences Decisions Outcomes

Case Factors

Decision Making Ecology(Baumann, Fluke &Kern, 1997)

Example Normative Indicator Development: US Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) Maltreatment Recurrence

• As of June 2006 national standard for recurrence – Of all children who were victims of a substantiated or

indicated maltreatment allegation during the first 6 months of FY 2004, what percent were not victims of another substantiated or indicated maltreatment allegation within the 6-months following that maltreatment incident?

– National Standard Based on 45 States: 94.6% or higher

Policy and Trends (Example) :How is Data Translated Into Policy and Programs?

• Specific States not meeting standard must implement a 3 year Program Improvement Plan (PIP) approved by the US government– Plans address a range of programmatic and intervention strategies,

for example:• Multiple maltreatment and chronic neglect• Alternative response systems• Safety and risk assessment systems• Additional research and evaluation

• States not in compliance may be subject to penalties• After each three year cycle the US standards are reviewed and revised.

Summary – Child Maltreatment Monitoring and Evaluation Systems: Some Key Issues/Questions• Goals and Aims

• Scope Responsibilities Options for Data Collection– Institutional, overlapping multi-sector (health, social services,

judicial)

– Cultural/ Definitional

• Design of Surveillance Systems– Methods (self report, administrative sources, frequency)

– Ethics

• Appropriate Comparisons Across Countries/Jurisdictions

• Translation of Data Into Policy and Practice

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Contact:John D. Fluke, Ph.D., Vice PresidentChild Protection Research CenterChild WelfareAmerican Humane Association63 Inverness Dr. E.Englewood, CO 80112USA p720-873-6793 | fax: 303 862 3703 | email johnf@americanhumane.org