Therapy implications of child abuse in multi-risk families - abstract

Method: We identified policy gaps and reviewed family profiles within selective child maltreatment databases. Data sources included international and Australian literature, Queensland Department of Child Safety reports and a research clinical database.                     

Results: Data reviewed suggest that a pattern of co-occurring complex multiple system family problems characterize substantiated abuse cases.                     

Conclusions: The presence of multiple family problems suggests the need for a new treatment paradigm. Multisystemic Therapy for child physical abuse and neglect is an evidence-based intervention that matches the therapeutic needs of such families.