Maltreatment Among Children with Disabilities

Research evidence from around the world indicates that children with disabilities are at greater risk of maltreatment (abuse and neglect) than their peers without disabilities. Findings from Israel in 2016 revealed a similar pattern. This presentation aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the risk of maltreatment among children with disabilities in Israel.Researchers at the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute analyzed administrative data from the Service for Child Investigations and Special Investigations, the Child and Youth Service, and the National Program for Children and Youth at Risk and conducted secondary analyses. The findings indicate that in 2023, children with disabilities in Israel faced a significantly higher risk of abuse and neglect compared to other children:

Data from the Service for Child Investigations and Special Investigations:
Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities or autism were 1.3 times more likely than other children to be questioned by child protection investigators about incidents of abuse or neglect.
Data from the Child and Youth Service:
The likelihood of children with disabilities being reported in the service’s system due to neglect and abuse is 1.7 times higher than their proportion in the general population.
Data from the National Program for Children and Youth at Risk:

The rate of maltreatment among children with disabilities was higher than the rate among children without disabilities.
The severity of intra-family maltreatment was greater among children with disabilities.

Citing Suggestion:

Nagar Eidelman, R. & Barlev, L. (2025, September). Maltreatment Among Children with Disabilities [Lecture]. Learning Sessions on Children and People with Disabilities in Investigation and Legal Proceedings. Haruv Institute; Israel Police; the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Justice. (Hebrew)