Perinatal Health Profiles Associated With Removal From the Home and Subsequent Child Protective Services Report in Maltreated Infants

Abstract

Infants face the highest risk of abuse and neglect nationally. There is a compelling need to understand the individual risk factors and needs of families of maltreated infants so that prevention efforts can be tailored for optimal effectiveness. Using linked birth certificate and CPS records data, we employed latent class analysis to identify distinct profiles of perinatal health factors associated with infant maltreatment. Classes were then regressed onto two key child welfare outcomes—removal from the home and re-report. Results indicated 10 latent classes primarily associated with supervisory neglect and presumed prenatal substance exposure. Rapid repeat pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy and inadequate prenatal care emerged as key risk factors. Presumed substance exposure was associated with high risk of removal from the home and low risk of re-report. The opposite was found for supervisory neglect. Substantial variation existed across classes and types of maltreatment, suggesting a need for tailored prevention strategies.