A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF A PARENT ADVISORY BOARD DEVOTED TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION

Abstract

Abstract In Federal Fiscal Year 2024, child protective services received approximately 4.3 million referrals involving an estimated 7.7 million children calling for more community centered prevention approaches (Administration for Children and Families et al., 2026). Parent Advisory Boards recognized as community-based prevention systems, existing scholarships underrepresentation of their perspectives in their own terms, leaves underexamined how these boards interpret their roles within prevention systems (Tomison & Wise, 1999, Butler et al., 2020; Hartling et al., 2021). In response, this qualitative case study sought to provide practitioners, policy makers, and community leaders an understanding of how a single parent advisory board informs child abuse and neglect prevention at relational, organizational, and community levels. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory, Coleman's Social Capital Theory, and the Strengthening Families Framework, three research aims guided the inquiry: (1) parents' lived experiences and contributions within prevention systems, (2) the operationalization of protective factors, and (3) the barriers and facilitators shaping meaningful participation. Data was generated through participant observation, document analysis, and six purposively sampled semi-structured interviews. ATLAS.ti-supported thematic content analysis using constructivist grounded-theory procedures produced five interconnected themes and an emergent explanation: relational engagement strengthens parent voice and supports meaningful shared decision-making. Sensitizing concepts provided initial direction while remaining provisional and responsive to the data (Charmaz, 2014; Zaidi, 2022). The emergent theory proposes that these processes strengthen protective practices, organizational learning, and community-informed child abuse and neglect prevention. Keywords: Child abuse prevention, Parent engagement, Parent Advisory Board, Shared decision making, Parent voice, Community-informed prevention, Qualitative case study