Research at least two peer reviewed scholarly articles specific to child maltreatment and COVID-19. Students will then narrow in on one aspect of COVID-19 and child maltreatment (I.e. prevalence/rates, detection/assessment, impact/etiology, prevention, etc.) that interests you and summarizes your peers. Briefly summarize your findings in one paragraph.
Choose one aspect from both articles and write one paragraph
Based on recent forensic and social science research, studies such as those by Swedo et al. (2020) and Finkelhor et al. (2021) have provided a complex view of how the pandemic shifted the landscape of child welfare. While official reports of child maltreatment often showed a paradoxical decline during the peak of COVID-19 lockdowns, researchers argue this was not due to a decrease in actual abuse, but rather a detection crisis. With schools closed and extracurricular activities canceled, children were separated from "mandated reporters"—teachers, coaches, and school nurses—who typically serve as the primary line of defense. Consequently, while minor injuries went unnoticed, hospitals reported an increase in the severity of physical abuse cases (such as traumatic brain injuries in infants), suggesting that the stressors of isolation, economic instability, and the loss of child-care support systems intensified maltreatment within the "closed doors" of the home.
The most critical aspect highlighted across both articles is the catastrophic failure of traditional detection and assessment mechanisms. Both studies emphasize that the surveillance system for child safety is almost entirely dependent on physical proximity within public institutions. When the physical "gaze" of the teacher was replaced by a low-resolution Zoom screen, the ability to detect subtle behavioral cues, bruising, or hygiene issues vanished. Furthermore, the studies noted that the "digital divide" meant the most vulnerable children—those in homes with limited internet access—were essentially erased from the system’s view. This suggests that for future crises, the child welfare system must develop remote assessment protocols that do not rely solely on school-based observation, as the "protective factor" of the school environment is easily severed in a national emergency.