Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant caregiver risk factor in child maltreatment, yet child protective services (CPS) responses to IPV-exposed households remain inconsistent. Understanding how IPV is evaluated within CPS investigations, and which co-occurring risks influence substantiation decisions, is therefore critical for clarifying the role of child welfare systems in responding to family violence and for identifying points of intervention within this process. This study examined how IPV shapes substantiation outcomes across maltreatment types and identified risk factors within IPV-exposed households. Using the 2023 NCANDS Child File, we analyzed 1,049,876 CPS investigations across 10 states via logistic regression. IPV was identified in 8.3% of reports, with exposure significantly increasing the odds of substantiated emotional maltreatment (OR = 30.40), neglect (OR = 4.04), and physical abuse (OR = 2.34; all p < .001), though emotional maltreatment findings warrant caution given between-state heterogeneity. Within IPV-exposed households, caregiver substance use and housing instability were strong predictors of neglect and physical abuse, while financial hardship was inversely associated with emotional maltreatment (OR = 0.65). Findings highlight the need for trauma-informed CPS responses and clearer guidelines distinguishing structural hardship from caregiver-caused harm to promote more equitable child welfare interventions.