Can Paid Family Leave Prevent Abuse?

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Lindsey Bullinger of Georgia Tech about research linking paid family leave (PFL) to reduced infant child maltreatment. Bullinger explains why infancy is a critical period; infants have the highest maltreatment rates and PFL typically provides 6-12 weeks of paid bonding time plus income support. Using nationwide data (2004-2020, excluding COVID-related reporting drops) and early state programs such as California (2004) and New Jersey (2009), the study finds PFL adoption is associated with lower infant maltreatment reports and substantiations across neglect and physical abuse, with notable reductions reported by social services and medical providers.   Time  Topic  00:00 Can Leave Prevent Abuse  01:21 Why Study Maltreatment  02:43 Why Infancy Matters  04:52 Infant Risk Factors  06:39 US Leave Policy Landscape  10:43 Why Employers Don’t Offer  16:28 Known Benefits For Babies  18:26 Study Design And Data  20:55 Key Findings On Reports  23:05 Mechanisms And Removals  26:15 Policy Impact And Messaging  32:56 Next Research On Cash  37:15 Final Takeaways And Wrap  Resources More than Snuggles: The Effect of Paid Family Leave on Infant Maltreatment - Lindsey Rose Bullinger, Kerri M. Raissian, Bart Klika, Melissa Merrick, Eric Thibodeau, 2026 Support the show Did you like this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.