In the spring and summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought school closures and stay-at-home orders, followed by reports that calls to child maltreatment hotlines were deceasing dramatically. With less exposure to mandated reports, children appeared to be less likely to be the subject of reports to the child welfare system. But have maltreatment dynamics changed? If so, how? And how are child welfare systems responding during this unprecedented time?

Kate Stepleton moderated a NAWRS webinar in which panelists shared research findings about maltreatment reports and substantiations, described how some systems have responded to changes brought on by the pandemic, and discussed the role of the child welfare system now and in the future.