Childhood Maltreatment Over Generations

Intergenerational child maltreatment, in which abuse or neglect in childhood reoccurs over generations within the same family, is a consequential yet poorly understood challenge in child protection policy and practice. Using systemic methodology, this scoping review reveals the explanatory theoretical frameworks on intergenerational child maltreatment in the literature, explores diverse intervention approaches, and finds correlations between different facets of the data. A variety of theoretical frameworks and suggested interventions are articulated in the literature, with attachment theory being most prominent and practices focusing more strongly on various approaches to direct service provision and future research than to reflective practice and intervention at a systemic or structural level. This data, alongside correlations between different aspects of the data, holds implications for policy, practice, and research, including broadening intervention options to cater for the diversity of people seeking support and critiquing existing paradigms driving research and practice.