When Child Welfare Caseworkers Intervene, Do Women Surviving IPV Obtain Recommended Services?

This study looked at 991 women surviving intimate partner violence (IPV), exploring several factors in their receipt of IPV services through the child welfare system. A secondary data analysis, the research used longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II, was conducted to evaluate the relationship between receiving IPV services and child welfare intervention and between such receipt and demographic characteristics. Women in the sample had been substantiated for maltreatment and had lifetime experience of IPV; 15% of these women had received IPV services. Generalized estimation equation results showed likelihood of receiving services increased when the case plan specified needed IPV services. Biological/adoptive mothers retaining custody of children were relatively unlikely to receive IPV services, as were lower income women. Receipt of services was relatively unlikely at the third-wave interview compared with the first-wave interview, but no difference in likelihood of receiving services was found between first- and second-wave interviews. In addition, likelihood of receiving services was not associated here with the number of recent IPV episodes, IPV maltreatment, mother's perceived engagement with caseworker, and mother's race/ethnicity, employment, and education. Some implications for practice are discussed.