As professionals working closely with child protective services (CPS) for many years, we are well aware of its shortcomings, particularly undertrained and overwhelmed staff who may inadequately protect children and serve families as mandated by states’ laws. Some professionals and media have highlighted the problems, feeding into a popular narrative that damns CPS as a dangerous, damaging structure.1 Missing from this picture are data and stories of when children are protected and families are helped. We think a balanced perspective is much needed, recognizing both CPS’ strengths and shortcomings, to move forward constructively. [JAMA}
The history of CPS in the United States clearly points to a broad concern for vulnerable children.2 A seminal article on the “battered child” in 1962 in JAMA3 galvanized enormous attention and quickly led to civil laws in all 50 states to protect abused and neglected children. The primary intent has been and remains to help families, not to punish parents; in a small minority of instances, accountability does lead to criminal prosecution.
Despite the above goals, some argue that mandated reporting of suspected child maltreatment to CPS is implemented in a racist and paternalistic manner.1 There is some dated support for this position, although recent research clarifies that the association is confounded by poverty.4 Indeed, after analyses control for sociodemographic variables, Black newborns exposed to illicit drugs appear less likely to be reported than White newborns. Similarly, others found that racial disproportionality in CPS’ overall statistics is largely confounded by poverty,5 with further support by a recent analysis.6 Reported Black children were less likely to have maltreatment substantiated and less likely to be placed out of home than White children.6 Clearly, child poverty and its many associated burdens are strongly linked to a lengthy list of problems.
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