Do Welfare Sanctions Increase Child Protection System Involvement? A Cautious Answer

This study assesses the relationship between various types of welfare grant reductions and subsequent child maltreatment reports in a sample ($$N=1,260$$) of recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Results show that receipt of TANF sanctions increases the rate of having an investigation for neglect but does not bear a statistically significant relation to having an indicated report of neglect or abuse. Receipt of other types of grant reductions, however, is positively associated with the rate of having indicated reports. The statistically significant findings persist with the application of fixed‐effects techniques, which reduce the potential for omitted variable bias.