Urban greenspace is linked to lower rates of child maltreatment and child protective services involvementChild abuse and neglect are associated with adverse outcomes in physical health, mental well-being, social functioning, and educational achievement. While many studies have explored how factors at both the individual and neighborhood levels influence child maltreatment and involvement with child protective services (CPS), there has been little research into how neighborhood greenspaces might play a role. This study aimed to clarify whether access to urban greenspace is related to CPS involvement in a major US city. The study is based on the understanding that “greenspace may influence both protective and risk factors for child maltreatment and/or CPS reporting at the neighborhood level,” such as neighborhood social processes, parent-child interactions and parental stress. The study also calls attention to structural racism, which has not only shaped the distribution and availability of residential greenspace but has also contributed to disproportionate reporting of families of color to the CPS system.
The study utilized data collected between 2008 and 2018 to analyze CPS outcomes and greenspace at the census block level for the city of Philadelphia, US. A total of 66,043 CPS reports, involving 49,888 children, were included in the study. Three CPS outcomes were examined: 1) substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect; 2) cases accepted for CPS services; and 3) placements in foster care. The total number of instances of each CPS outcome was obtained from the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services for each census block. Neighborhood greenness was assessed through 1) tree canopy and 2) total greenspace (combined tree canopy and presence of parks) data from the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation open access Philadelphia Tree Canopy assessment. Analysis also examined the influence of adult and child population, race/ethnicity and area deprivation index (ADI), a composite measure of numerous education, employment, housing and poverty indicators, at the census block level. Statistical analyses were conducted to test for relationships between greenspace and the three CPS outcomes, while adjusting for census block sociodemographic information and ADI. The study also solicited input from three community stakeholders who participated in a community advisory group.
Tree canopy was significantly related to CPS involvement. Blocks with lower tree canopy cover densities were significantly more likely to have substantiated reports and cases accepted for CPS services. When analysis controlled for sociodemographic variables and ADI, blocks with less than 10 percent tree canopy had 1.46 times the odds of having a substantiated report and 1.50 times the odds of having a case accepted for CPS services than blocks with greater than 30 percent tree canopy. Lower tree canopy was also linked to increased foster care placement; however, this relationship was only significant when analysis did not control for sociodemographic variables and ADI. Both race/ethnicity and ADI were found to be significantly related to each of the three CPS outcomes, although not as strongly as tree canopy cover. Total greenspace was also significantly linked to CPS involvement. Blocks with lower total greenspace cover densities were significantly more likely to have substantiated reports and cases accepted for CPS services. When sociodemographic variables and ADI were controlled for, blocks with less than 10 percent total greenspace canopy had 1.52 times the odds of having a substantiated report and having a case accepted for CPS services compared to blocks with more than 30 percent total greenspace. However, the relationship between greenspace and foster care placement was again only significant when analysis did not control for sociodemographic variables and ADI. Total greenspace was also more strongly linked to CPS outcomes than race/ethnicity and ADI.
Findings reveal that when neighborhoods had more tree canopy and greenspace, there tended to be fewer confirmed cases of child maltreatment and fewer cases that CPS accepted for services, even after adjusting for neighborhood-level deprivation. Results also revealed a “dose‑dependent relationship,” meaning that these effects increased as tree canopy and greenspace increased. However, although more tree canopy and greenspace were associated with some reduction in foster care placements, this relationship was not as strong. The researchers suggest that greenspace may reduce the risk of child maltreatment and CPS involvement through the mechanisms of improved social support and mental health. Similarly, the community advisory group indicated that greenspace can reduce parental stress and family conflict. The researchers conclude that “tree planting and park developments in marginalized neighborhoods may be a strategy to mitigate risk of CPS involvement and other present-day impacts resulting from structural racism.”
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