Date of Award
2026
Type
Thesis
Major
Health and Physical Education
Degree Type
Master of Public Health
Department
Kinesiology and Health Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Patricia Anafi
Second Advisor
Dr. Rebecca Toland
Abstract
Child maltreatment remains a significant public health concern with lifelong consequences for children's health, development, and well-being. As children's caregiving environments become increasingly diverse through split-custody arrangements, blended families, kinship care, and other multi-household contexts, recognizing and assessing child safety concerns may become more complex. Although these family structures are not inherently associated with maltreatment, the distribution of caregiving responsibilities and information across multiple households may complicate child maltreatment risk identification.
This capstone presents a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature examining child maltreatment risk identification within complex caregiving environments. The review synthesized evidence related to caregiving environments, caregiver relationships, child disclosure, protective factors, multidisciplinary assessment, and child welfare practice to identify recurring themes and gaps in existing literature.
Findings suggest that child maltreatment risk identification is influenced not only by individual risk factors but also by how child safety information is recognized, communicated, and integrated across caregivers and professional systems. The review highlights fragmented information, multidisciplinary communication, and continuity of child safety assessment as important considerations for future research and practice. Strengthening collaboration across caregiving environments and child-serving systems may improve child maltreatment risk identification and support more comprehensive, child-centered public health approaches.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Makenzie, "Child Maltreatment Risk Identification in Complex Caregiving Environments: A Public Health Review of Split-Custody and Multi-Household Family Contexts" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 815.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/815
