Project Summary

The Colorado Lab is leading an effort to leverage significant administrative data resources to identify the unique role of financial instability and child welfare involvement risk. Working with colleagues at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) and NORC at the University of Chicago, the Colorado Lab is leading the thought partnership and design of this descriptive research study.

Poverty at the caregiver and community levels are risk factors for child maltreatment, but not all caregivers in poverty face allegations of neglect. There is a critical need for research to identify what puts some caregivers in contact with the child welfare system while others in seemingly similar situations do not have similar contact. This study will examine the potential role of financial instability in this problem and potential protective factors when income volatility is taking place, such as increased housing stability and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participation. The results of this study will help identify potential target populations for child maltreatment prevention programs that specifically address financial instability and neglect.

The Colorado Lab and Dr. Emma Monahan from NORC designed an evaluation plan to study the relationship between financial instability—measured through wages, child support disbursements, and TANF payments—and involvement with the child welfare system. Leveraging a unique, linked administrative data set provided by the Linked Information Network of Colorado (LINC) with data from CDEC, Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, Northern Colorado Continuum of Care, Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, and Balance of State Continuum of Care, the project team will conduct descriptive and longitudinal analyses to identify any increased risk in child welfare involvement as a result of significant financial instability. This research builds upon current evidence building on poverty-related characteristics associated with disproportional child welfare involvement and data-informed opportunities to improve family well-being through economic security.

The major deliverables from this project will be a peer-reviewed journal manuscript and a presentation geared towards practice and policy audiences to disseminate key findings. These should be completed in spring of 2026.