UMSSW Professor Richard Barth, PhD, MSW, stressed the importance of gathering more comprehensive data on children in the welfare system.
Richard Barth, PhD, MSW, a prominent child welfare scholar from the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW), was interviewed about the reporting of child fatalities in Maryland Matters. According to the report, Maryland has been overreporting child fatalities due to abuse and neglect for years. This revelation comes after the state had consistently reported high numbers of child deaths, which raised concerns about child welfare in the state.
Barth emphasized that the corrected data should serve as "a good wake-up call" for the state to enhance its understanding of factors leading to child mistreatment fatalities. He said, "I don't think any of us feel that the numbers we have really represent the risks to kids," highlighting the often subtle distinctions between child fatalities where abuse is indicated and those where mistreatment is unsubstantiated or ruled out.
The professor stressed the importance of gathering more comprehensive data on children in the welfare system.
"Families that are involved in child welfare are often involved for quite some time. The more that we know about the accumulating risks for them, the better," he said.
Barth's expertise in child welfare is well-established. He has authored numerous publications on children's services practice, programs, policy, and research. As the former dean of UMSSW, Barth has been involved in multiple studies, including serving as co-principal investigator of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, the first national probability study of child welfare services.
The revelation about overreporting has raised questions about the accuracy of past reports and the effectiveness of child protection measures in the state. As Maryland works to correct its reporting methods, Barth's insights underscore the critical role of accurate data in shaping public policy and resource allocation for child protection services.