Introduction
This research brief describes the developmental risks present in a cohort of children coming into contact with the child welfare system between 1999 and 2000, as well as the services the children receive to address these risks. The findings are drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW), a unique study that provides detailed information about the well-being and experiences of children and families in the child welfare system. Whereas existing research on this population comes primarily from administrative data or smaller studies, the NSCAW is the first comprehensive, nationally representative, longitudinal study to examine the well-being of these children and families.
This research brief juxtaposes data on the developmental risks present in children who have been investigated by child protective services (CPS) with their levels of service receipt approximately 7 months after investigation (on average).