Decision-Making in Child Abuse and Neglect: Insights from Professionals’ Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Decision-making in child abuse and neglect cases requires professionals including social workers, healthcare providers, educators, and law enforcement to navigate uncertainty, cultural contexts, and the delicate balance between protecting children and preserving families. This Special Issue will explore how child welfare practitioners identify, assess, and respond to suspected maltreatment, with attention to the interplay between risk factors and protective factors.

We seek contributions that investigate decision-making models in child welfare in different cultural and populations. The focus will also include evidence-based interventions, cross-sector collaboration, and the role of training and supervision in strengthening decision quality. A central aim is to advance strategies that not only ensure safety but also promote the overall well-being and healthy development of children. Submissions using qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, or systematic/scoping reviews are welcome, offering diverse, research-informed perspectives that guide ethical, timely, and effective action.

We look forward to receiving your contributions!

Dr. Merav Jedwab
Dr. Hanin Mordi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.