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Characteristics and Service Patterns of Children in the Florida Child Protection System The recent transition to community-based care in the Florida child protection system has produced an increased reliance on the use of existing data to make informed policy decisions. This study uses existing administrative data sets to examine several previously unexplored aspects of children in Florida's child protection system. The first aspect of the study consists of an examination of risk factors for children entering the child protection system with regard to individual and community characteristics of children and families. Community characteristics, such as population density, racial/ethnic composition, and overlap in service system caseloads, will be examined for their relationship with both the identification of child maltreatment and use of service interventions (e.g., foster care, protective supervision) over and above the influence of child/family characteristics. Second, by applying computer modeling technology to existing administrative data, we examine the flow of maltreated children through the child protection system. This aspect of the project will use the developed model to both show the structure of the existing child protection system and to demonstrate the impact of policy change on service use. Third, we examine the recurrence of maltreatment for children who previously have exited the child protection system. This aspect of the study consists of an analysis of the incidence and length of time from closure of an initial case of maltreatment until subsequent (a) report of child maltreatment, (b) finding of abuse, neglect, or threat of harm, and (c) reentry into a specific service intervention. Additionally, we will examine the likelihood of recurrence as a function of child demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity), type of initial maltreatment (e.g., sexual abuse, environmental neglect), prior service history (e.g., foster care, protective supervision), and case disposition (e.g., reunification with family, placement with alternate family).

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