Citation

Rouland B, Vaithianathan R, Wilson D, Putnam-Hornstein E. Am. J. Public Health 2019; 109(9): 1255-1257.

Affiliation

Bénédicte Rouland is with the Centre for Social Data Analytics, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, and LEMNA, University of Nantes, Nantes, France. Rhema Vaithianathan is with the Centre for Social Data Analytics, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, and the School of Economics, Singapore Management University, Singapore. Denise Wilson is with the Taupua Waiora Centre for Māori Health Research, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. Emily Putnam-Hornstein is with the Children's Data Network, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and the California Child Welfare Indicators Project, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2019.305163

PMID

31318594

Abstract

Objectives. To document ethnic disparities in childhood abuse and neglect among New Zealand children. Methods. We followed the 1998 New Zealand birth cohort of 56 904 children through 2016. We determined the cumulative childhood prevalence of reports to child protective services (CPS), substantiated maltreatment (by subtype), and out-of-home placements, from birth to age 18 years, by ethnic group. We also developed estimates stratified by maternal age and community deprivation levels. Results. We identified substantial ethnic differences in child maltreatment and child protection involvement. Both Māori and Pacific Islander children had a far greater likelihood of being reported to CPS, being substantiated as victims, and experiencing an out-of-home placement than other children. Across all levels of CPS interactions, rates of Māori involvement were more than twice those of Pacific Islander children and more than 3 times those of European children. Conclusions. Despite long-standing child support policies and reparation for breaches of Indigenous people's rights, significant child maltreatment disparities persist. More work is needed to understand how New Zealand's public benefit services can be more responsive to the needs of Indigenous families and their children. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 18, 2019: e1-e3. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2019.305163).

Language: en