child-welfare

Cases of newborn exposure to illicit substances are much less likely to be reported to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) than to the Department of Public Health (DPH) in Illinois, despite regulations that mandate both agencies receive reports, according to a study forthcoming in Child Abuse & Neglect.

Virtually every week, chilling accounts of child abuse make headlines nationwide — from children reportedly chained to beds and starved by their parents to hundreds of gymnasts accusing their doctor of molesting them.

A higher number of children are abducted by family members than previously thought, a recent study suggests. Mothers and female relatives are most often the perpetrators.

The issue: Children are abducted every day in the United States, often by a parent or family member. But limited academic research or data exists.