Sibling birth order,use of statutory measures and patterns of placement for children in public care: Implications for international child protection systems and research |
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| Institution: | 1. Scottish Children''s Reporter Administration, Honorary Research Fellow, School of Social Work & Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK;2. School of Social Work & Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK;3. School of Applied Social Studies, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK;1. Indiana University Northwest, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN 46408, United States;2. Department of Public Administration, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;1. National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, United States;2. Systems Change Solutions, Inc., Canada;1. Department for Management of Science and Technology Development, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam;2. Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam;3. ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand;4. Institute for Health and Society, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea;1. Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei City 10617, Taiwan;2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, 203 Spidle Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, United States;1. Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State, The Pennsylvania State University, United States;2. Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, and Courtesy Appointment in Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, United States;1. RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202, United States;2. RAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States |
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| Abstract: | Public care of abused and neglected children is one important element of statutory intervention which aims to address the major global challenge of protecting children from abuse and neglect. Where a child is part of a sibling group, this introduces particular challenges with regard to meeting the needs of all those affected. This paper presents findings from one of the first studies examining birth order effects on statutory intervention patterns for looked-after siblings. The experiences and outcomes of children were compared depending on maternal birth order at the time of data collection. We found strong evidence that the length of time from first referral of a child deemed at risk to first statutory intervention is greater for first-born than for last-born children and first-born children are significantly older than last-born children when they are first placed on statutory measures. The study concludes that first-born siblings may be particularly vulnerable to delayed statutory intervention and the cumulative effects of harm and certain routes to permanence may be less available to them. We argue for increased focus within international child welfare policy and practice on timely and intensive assessment of first-born children, where risk of maltreatment is identified, in order to address potential inequalities of access to protection. A focus on risk introduced by systemic factors within legal and welfare systems in addition to risk introduced by perpetrators of abuse is needed. We also argue for greater research attention to, and more precise measurement of, birth order as a variable in studies of the looked-after population. |
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