Journal Special Issue, Vol. 2: Protecting Children from Maltreatment During COVID-19

The special issue “Protecting children from maltreatment during COVID-19: First volume,” focused on analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of child maltreatment and child protective services. The second volume tries to provide a unique glance into the answers to two main questions: (1) how does COVID-19 impact the rates of child maltreatment (CM)?; and (2) how does COVID-19 impact the delivery of child protective service responses? These two questions are discussed and studied in multiple international settings. Conclusions: Child maltreatment rates during COVID-19: Studies point to a decrease in police reports and referrals to child protective services An increase in child abuse-related injuries treated in hospitals, and An increase in family violence The delivery of child protective service responses: Training for professionals: education related to recognizing and responding to child maltreatment is needed The transition to digital services is accompanied by worry over hidden child abuse Implications for future research: Include other forms of violence against children besides physical or psychological violence at home Employ various data sources, such as surveys or big data. Most studies relied on administrative records. Homogeneity in definitions and study designs in data gathering will enable generalization and comparison of findings (Cappa & Jijon, 2021) Thank you