A Profile of Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Investigations in the Canadian Child Welfare System: An Examination Using the 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2008)

Objectives: To provide a profile of the incidence and characteristics of substantiated exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) investigations in Canada in 2008. Methods: Bivariate analyses were conducted examining four types of substantiated investigations in order to better understand the response of the child welfare system to IPV investigations: (i) investigations in which exposure to IPV was the single substantiated form of maltreatment; (ii) investigations in which another type of maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or emotional maltreatment) was the single substantiated form of maltreatment; (iii) investigations in which exposure to IPV co-occurred with at least one other form of maltreatment; (iv) investigations in which there were co-occurring forms of maltreatment that did not include IPV. Results: 41% of substantiated investigations involved exposure to IPV, with 31% of investigations involving single form IPV and 10% of investigations involving IPV that co-occurred with another form of maltreatment. A total of 51% of investigations were substantiated for a single form of other maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or emotional maltreatment) and 8% of investigations were substantiated for cooccurring forms of these four types of maltreatment. The investigations were compared on family, child, case, and service characteristics. Conclusions and Implications: Exposure to IPV is a complex issue and demands an equally complex response that includes cross sector collaboration. Child welfare agencies receiving referrals regarding intimate partner violence should aim to identify opportunities to prevent recurrence and support the victims identified in the investigation