Francis Drake

Brett Drake researches matters of child welfare with a focus on early intervention cases of child neglect as well as the connections between socio-environmental conditions and child neglect. His current research analyzes census and child protective data to assess the efficacy of protective and preventative services.

His research and his many years of child welfare practice, at the direct and clinical levels, inform the master’s-level courses he teaches at the Brown School. The topics of these classes range from diversity and human behavior to analysis of practice.

In addition, Drake teaches doctoral classes on research methodology, due to his interest in the philosophical and theoretical aspects of social work research. He also consults with a number of state and local agencies regarding evaluation and administrative data.

Brett Drake

  • Professor of Data Science for the Social Good in Practice
  • PhD, UCLA
  • Office Phone: 314-935-4880
  • Email: brettd@wustl.edu

Areas of Focus:

  • Child maltreatment epidemiology
  • Child protection and child protective practice
  • Application of big data to social problems
  • Racial disproportionality

Featured Publications

A practical framework for considering the use of predictive risk modeling in child welfare
ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
2021

Repeat Reports Among Cases Reported for Child Neglect: A Scoping Review
Child Abuse and Neglect
2019

Child and adult outcomes of chronic child maltreatment
Pediatrics
2012