Child Maltreatment

Approximately 1 in 4 children suffer from child maltreatment at some point in their lives. The IPRC’s researchers work with community partners to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children.

Featured Research

• Evaluating the impact of Low-income Housing Tax Credits on child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, and opioid overdose
• Family Engagement in Evidence-Based Maternal and Child Health Home-Visiting
• Implementation and Evaluation of Essentials for Childhood: Safe, Stable, and Nurturing Relationships and Environments
• Latent Class Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors in Child Development: Identifying Clusters among Alaska Native and non-Native Children
• Improving Access to a Primary Care-Based Positive Parenting

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OUR IMPACT

Research used to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children

IPRC was home to LONGSCAN , a 20-year study on child maltreatment. Findings were shared with community leaders and stakeholders, including policy-makers at a Federal Congressional Briefing, the NC Child Fatality Task Force, and the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children. PI: Dr. Des Runyan

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OUR STUDENTS AND FACULTY

Faculty Spotlight

Meghan E. Shanahan, PhD, MPH

Dr. Shanahan is Assistant Professor of Maternal and Child Health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and core faculty at the IPRC. The focus of her research is to improve the health and developmental trajectories of children. Her research focuses on adverse events that potentially influence these trajectories and prevent children from realizing their full potential. Child maltreatment is one obvious insult to the health and development of children. Documenting the magnitude, etiology, and impact of child maltreatment has been a major focus of her work. Examining prevention strategies to reduce child abuse and neglect has become another main focal point of her research. Link to Profile

OUTREACH SPOTLIGHT

Child Maltreatment Research and Practice Network

IPRC is proud to support UNC students in conducting cutting-edge injury and violence prevention research, including the Child Maltreatment Prevention Research and Practice Network. Bi-weekly meetings are held to discuss current developments in and bridging the gap between child abuse and neglect research, policy, and practice within the field of child welfare. IPRC lead contact: Meghan E. Shanahan, PhD

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KEY PARTNERS

• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, Division of Public Health, and Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services
• North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
• Positive Child Alliance North Carolina
• NC Early Childhood Foundation
• North Carolina Institute of Medicine
• Child Fatality Task Force
• Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health