Prevalence and context of firearms-related problems in child protective service investigations

Background: Despite the significance of firearm safety, we need additional data to understand the prevalence and context surrounding firearm-related problems within the child welfare system. Objective: Estimate proportion of cases reporting a firearm-related problem during case initiation and the contexts in which these problems exist. Sample and setting: 75,809 caseworker-written investigation summaries that represented all substantiated referrals of maltreatment in Michigan from 2015 to 2017. Methods: We developed an expert dictionary of firearm-related terms to search investigation summaries. We retrieved summaries that contained any of the terms to confirm whether a firearm was present (construct accurate) and whether it posed a threat to the child. Finally, we coded summaries that contained firearm-related problems to identify contexts in which problems exist. Results: Of the 75,809 substantiated cases, the dictionary flagged 2397 cases that used a firearm term (3.2 %), with a construct accuracy rate of 96 %. Among construct accurate cases, 79 % contained a firearm-related problem. The most common intent for a firearm-related problem was violence against a person (45 %). The co-occurrence of domestic violence and/or substance use with a firearm-related problem was high (41 % and 48 %, respectively). 49 % of summaries that contained a firearm-related problem did not provide information regarding storage. Conclusion: When caseworkers document a firearm within investigative summaries, a firearm-related risk to the child likely exists. Improved documentation of firearms and storage practices among investigated families may better identify families needing firearm-related services

From Zero to Thrive: A Model of Cross-System and Cross-Sector Relational Health to Promote Early Childhood Development across the Child-Serving Ecosystem

Early relational health between caregivers and children is foundational for child health and well-being. Children and caregivers are also embedded within multiple systems and sectors, or a “child-serving ecosystem”, that shapes child development. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has made this embeddedness abundantly clear, systems remain siloed and lack coordination. Fostering relational health amongst layers of this ecosystem may be a way to systematically support young children and families who are facing adversity. We integrate theory, examples, and empirical findings to develop a conceptual model informed by infant mental health and public health frameworks that illustrates how relational health across the child-serving ecosystem may promote child health and well-being at a population level. Our model articulates what relational health looks like across levels of this ecosystem from primary caregiver-child relationships, to secondary relationships between caregivers and child-serving systems, to tertiary relationships among systems that shape child outcomes directly and indirectly. We posit that positive relational health across levels is critical for promoting child health and well-being broadly. We provide examples of evidence-based approaches that address primary, secondary, and tertiary relational health, and suggest ways to promote relational health through cross-sector training and psychoeducation in the science of early development. This model conceptualizes relational health across the child-serving ecosystem and can serve as a template for promoting child health and well-being in the context of adversity

From Zero to Thrive: A Model of Cross-System and Cross-Sector Relational Health to Promote Early Childhood Development across the Child-Serving Ecosystem

Early relational health between caregivers and children is foundational for child health and well-being. Children and caregivers are also embedded within multiple systems and sectors, or a “child-serving ecosystem”, that shapes child development. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has made this embeddedness abundantly clear, systems remain siloed and lack coordination. Fostering relational health amongst layers of this ecosystem may be a way to systematically support young children and families who are facing adversity. We integrate theory, examples, and empirical findings to develop a conceptual model informed by infant mental health and public health frameworks that illustrates how relational health across the child-serving ecosystem may promote child health and well-being at a population level. Our model articulates what relational health looks like across levels of this ecosystem from primary caregiver-child relationships, to secondary relationships between caregivers and child-serving systems, to tertiary relationships among systems that shape child outcomes directly and indirectly. We posit that positive relational health across levels is critical for promoting child health and well-being broadly. We provide examples of evidence-based approaches that address primary, secondary, and tertiary relational health, and suggest ways to promote relational health through cross-sector training and psychoeducation in the science of early development. This model conceptualizes relational health across the child-serving ecosystem and can serve as a template for promoting child health and well-being in the context of adversity