 Predictors of parental involvement in the context of a child’s placement in a substitute setting 
Parental involvement of parents followed by youth protection is considered a critical element of the intervention process, as it promotes the achievement of positive outcomes, such as a decrease in the recurrence of reports and episodes of maltreatment, the safety and well-being of the child, as well as the reunification of the aftermath of a placement. Using a two-measurement design, this study seeks to identify factors associated with the engagement of parents whose children have been in care for two years or less. These parents have a certain amount of time to make changes to their condition and therefore to engage in the services offered to them by youth protection. The study aims to identify important elements present at the beginning of the intervention, or prior to it, that predict engagement later in the process. A total of 74 parents participated in the study, completing validated questionnaires on two occasions via telephone interview. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictive potential of certain initial factors (e.g., family characteristics, placement context) on the status and level of parental engagement. In sum, the study proposes to enrich the understanding of the development of parental involvement during follow-up in child welfare services, and more specifically during an episode of placement, by paying particular attention to the factors that predispose or may hinder it.