Research Reports

Research was conducted to understand the characteristics of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), and how it is identified and investigated by CYS caseworkers. The research identified challenges in multiple steps of the CYS process, from the initial screening of child abuse reports to the actions of the State Commonwealth Court. Recommendations were made and are intended to improve the quality of the child welfare system in Pennsylvania. The recommendations focus on strategies that can support and enhance child protection work statewide. Pennsylvania's statutory requirement for expungement of CYS cases dispositioned as "unfounded", "invalid," or "screened-out" without an investigation, can create numerous barriers to CYS's ability to keep children safe. The researchers identified high variability in the rate at which reports were screened out across counties, potentially resulting in disparate access to protective services depending on one's address.