Caregiver Substance Abuse and Children’s Exposure to Violence in a Nationally Representative Child Welfare Sample

This study provides the first examination of the relationship between caregiver substance abuse and children’s exposure to violence in a large, diverse, and nationally representative sample of families reported to CPS. This analysis highlights the importance of assessing for exposure to violence among children involved with the child welfare system, particularly those where caregiver substance abuse is present. The report has implications for social workers, When working with children from homes where active substance abuse by a caregiver is present or a history of substance abuse exists, social workers should gather information to assess the child’s current exposure to violence and history of exposure to violence. Workers should assess for current or previous exposure to violence as both a direct victim and a witness.