National Study on Differential Response in Child Welfare

January 30, 2007 This report was written by Lisa Merkel-Holguin, MSW, Caren Kaplan, MSW, ASCW, and Alina Kwak, MSSW, MPA, who state that child protective services (CPS) agencies are responsible for receiving all reports of alleged child abuse and neglect. Federal, state, and/or local laws mandate that these agencies take some action as a result of each report. Approximately two-thirds of the reports they receive are accepted and thus require a determination of the safety, risk, and, optimally, the well-being of the child who is the subject of the alleged maltreatment. Historically, these reports have received . . .