Cumulative prevalence of onset and recurrence of child maltreatment reports

Using national US child protection records and census data, this study estimated how likely children are to be reported for maltreatment, and reported again, before age 12. Nearly a third of children had at least one report, many had repeated reports, and each prior report made future reports more likely. Neglect was the most common type. Black, Native American and Hispanic children were more likely than White children to have a first report, but once reported, White children had slightly higher recurrence rates, and Asian/Pacific Islander children had much lower rates throughout. There were no meaningful differences by sex. The findings support prevention efforts for children with repeated reports and earlier intervention to address racial disparities before a first report.