Long-Term Monitoring and Data... Present in Advanced Countries, Absent in Korea [Recurring Child Abuse] ③

US: Management and Evaluation Using Re-Abuse Indicators
UK: Strong Accountability for Local Governments
Thorough Tracking of Post-Case Management
Mandatory Parental Education and Stronger Penalties Needed

Child abuse cases do not end with a one-time intervention by the state. Advanced countries track re-abuse based on data and reduce risks through verified programs. This is because there is a widespread recognition that the core of child protection lies in a national system that continuously monitors whether a child is at risk again after returning home.

◆Countries That Track Cases After Closure

According to the US Children's Bureau under the Department of Health and Human Services as of October 15, the United States manages cases using re-abuse rates as a key indicator. In particular, the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) system is used to regularly assess the performance of each state, with the re-abuse rate within 12 months serving as the most important metric. Every state is required to report this figure annually, and lower rates are recognized as better performance. In some states, the re-abuse rate is made public in real time through Microsoft’s Power BI dashboard. This allows policymakers to instantly grasp performance by state, county, and program, and to make budget adjustments or issue improvement orders for regions with poor results.

The United States provides financial support for programs whose effectiveness has been scientifically verified. Representative examples include the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), Healthy Families New York (HFNY), and the SafeCare model. In the NFP program, nurses visit homes from pregnancy until the child turns two, providing parental education and health management. Multiple randomized controlled trials have proven that this program reduces child abuse and neglect incidents by 20 to 50 percent. HFNY involves social workers visiting homes regularly for three years to support parent-child interaction. Research has shown that the risk of being re-listed as a perpetrator of abuse is reduced by nearly half. SafeCare is an 18-week intensive program that combines home safety checks and parental education, and clinical trials have shown that it significantly lowers the re-abuse rate.

In the United Kingdom, local governments are held strongly accountable. The most important indicator is the re-referral rate within 12 months, which refers to the percentage of children assessed as needing child protection services who are referred again within a year. For 2023-2024, this rate was 22.4 percent. Each local government analyzes this figure monthly and quarterly to develop countermeasures. The central government evaluates performance through regular audits and issues improvement recommendations if standards are not met. The re-referral rate is made public so that anyone can check it. This structure, which combines transparent data and strict audits, drives local governments to manage child safety over the long term.

Australia integrates child protection data at the national level. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) publishes the annual "Child Protection Australia" report, which goes beyond simply counting incidents to track post-case management of children. The process from initial report, investigation, abuse determination, court order, to return to the original family or placement in out-of-home care is recorded in data. This allows a clear view of whether a child re-contacts the protection system after returning home and which services are effective in preventing re-abuse. The results are used to evaluate which interventions are effective and inform policy and budget decisions for the following year.

The common thread among these three countries is clear. They create and transparently disclose indicators such as re-abuse and re-referral rates, manage and compare performance at the local or state level, and require strong audits and improvements in regions with poor results. They also focus intensive investment on long-term intervention programs with proven effectiveness. Furthermore, data is immediately reflected in policy and budget decisions.

In contrast, South Korea’s re-abuse statistics remain fragmented. There is a lack of nationwide standardization, evaluation, and dissemination systems, and long-term tracking data is insufficient. Children are being pushed back into danger with the administrative closure of cases. Professor Jeong Jaehoon of Seoul Women's University’s Department of Social Welfare stated, "We have local governments managing cases, but experts are only involved in evaluation, so interventions remain short-term. We need to refer to overseas cases and enable all agencies to set short-term goals and manage the child's situation over the long term together."

Lee Baegeun, president of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, is giving an interview to Asia Economy on the 18th of last month. Photo by Yoon Dongju

◆Unprepared Family Reunification: A Foreseen Tragedy

Lee Baekun, President of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, said in an interview with Asia Economy, "When the parents have not changed, sending the child back home inevitably leads to repeated tragedy. In most cases, the abuser is a parent, and without proper counseling, treatment, and education, re-abuse occurs." In fact, in 2019, a child in Incheon was sent to a facility due to abuse by a stepfather, only to be abused and killed within two months of returning home.

Re-abuse is not just a repetition of harm. It leaves children with even greater trauma than before and, in severe cases, leads to death. Lee explained, "About 16 out of every 100 abused children experience re-abuse, highlighting the seriousness of the problem. Retaliatory feelings from parents after a report often result in more severe abuse."

He also pointed out structural flaws in the current system. Police handle child abuse investigations, while local government officials conduct assessments, which reduces professionalism and discourages active investigation due to civil complaints. This is a structural limitation where punishment and correction cannot be achieved together. In addition, a lack of personnel and facilities, as well as low reporting rates, remain challenges. There are only 98 child protection agencies nationwide, and it is common for a single counselor to be responsible for dozens of children. There are only 151 shelters nationwide, so due to capacity limitations, children often return home.

Lee suggested making parental education mandatory and strengthening penalties as solutions. He emphasized, "Many parents with histories of abuse do not recognize their harmful parenting methods. Parental education should be required in the public education curriculum, and the practice of lenient punishment must be changed." He added, "Abuse experienced at home leads to school violence and social violence. Society as a whole must recognize that abuse is a crime that can never be tolerated."

※ The Civil Act has been revised so that even parents have no right to physically punish children, and those who inflict physical, emotional, or sexual abuse on children can face up to 10 years in prison. If you suspect child abuse, report it to 112. For difficulties with child rearing or support, consult 129 (Health and Welfare Counseling Center).