Healthy Marriage and the Legacy of Child Maltreatment: A Child Welfare Perspective

Publication Date: June 2008

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Tiffany Conway; Rutledge Q. Hutson

Research Area: Social conditions

Type: Brief

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

The twelfth in a series on Couples and Marriage Research Policy, this brief looks at marriage from a notably different perspective than previous briefs in the series. This brief explores how childhood experiences, specifically child maltreatment and involvement with the child welfaresystem, impact the potential for a healthy,lasting marriage.

The brief summarizes the research on the barriers to a healthy marriage and what is known about the long term impacts of child maltreatment and foster care. Finally, the authors offer recommendations for addressing the uniqueneeds of couples in which one or both partners have experienced childhood maltreatment.