Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
09:36
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Pediatric response to a large-scale child protection intervention
James L Lukefahr1, Nancy D Kellogg, James D Anderst
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, USA.
Child Abuse & Neglect
|August 23, 2011
Summary
A large-scale child protection intervention in Texas overwhelmed community resources and faced challenges due to non-cooperation, limiting its overall success. Recommendations are provided for future large child protection cases.
Area of Science:
- Child protection
- Public health
- Forensic pediatrics
Background:
- In 2008, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) intervened in a religious compound due to child abuse allegations.
- This intervention involved the removal of 463 individuals, marking the largest child protection action in US history.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of this large-scale intervention on community resources, healthcare providers, and the legal system.
- To identify limitations faced by professionals and suggest improvements for future interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of publicly available information on the child abuse investigation and legal outcomes.
- Analysis of experiences of pediatric healthcare providers and child abuse pediatric specialists.
Main Results:
- Insufficient law enforcement and child protection resources due to non-cooperation and unexpected population size.
- Overwhelmed local medical and public health resources.
- Limited success in implementing recommended diagnostic studies due to patient/parent non-cooperation and inadequate medical information.
Conclusions:
- While children were removed from danger, resource limitations and lack of cooperation reduced the intervention's success.
- Recommendations are offered for pediatricians and communities involved in future large-scale child protection efforts.
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