Child Maltreatment within the Context of High Conflict Divorce and Separation (2009-2010)
Principal Investigator: Michael Saini, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto
Funded by: Connaught New Matching Grants
Child maltreatment in the context of divorce has historically been viewed by child protection workers as fictitious weapons to gain tactical advantage in litigation divorce wars. Others have dismissed the connection between high conflict and child maltreatment as a temporary phenomenon caused by acute stress related to the breakdown of the parent relationship. Both of these perceptions have resulted in child protection systems not vigorously investigating these cases, often considering children to be safe from harm merely because the parents separated. Consequently, little is known about high conflict families within the context of child protection systems. This study will conduct secondary analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, which includes 11,562 child maltreatment investigations in Canada. The study will focus on cases involving child custody disputes after divorce and factors associated with child welfare decisions and investigation outcomes. This research is relevant because high conflict divorce has been associated with more severe mental health problems, substance abuse, the escalation of violence and the risk of homicide and serious assaults during and after separation. From a public interest standpoint, it is imperative that research, policies and practices are guided by the best available evidence to keep children safe. Early identification of the unique factors of high conflict divorce in child protection systems can enhance child welfare decision making, better protect children from negative exposures of conflict and decrease strain on social services by finding better solutions to keep children safe after divorce and separation.