Many multi-problem young adults have demonstrated delinquent behaviour and severe family problems during childhood [1, 22, 48–50] and, therefore, are likely to have underwent CPS interference during their youth. In The Netherlands, there are two main reasons for a child to receive a CPS investigation: to request a civil or a penal measure. It is not uncommon for children to receive multiple CPS interferences during their lives . Therefore, the characteristics of CPS interference differ among children [21, 51–53]. Multi-problem young adults are likely to have experienced several judicial, school and family problems simultaneously [19, 23, 24], for which the timing, the number and the intensity of CPS investigations may vary . CPS characteristics can be seen as static risk factors  for deviant development since children who underwent CPS interference have an elevated risk of developing delinquent behaviour and mental health problems in young adulthood [1, 3, 8, 21, 48, 55, 56]. The annual arrest rate for young adults who as children had been referred to CPS is more than four times higher than the national rate for 18- to 24-year olds  and 50% of this young adult population have experienced mental health problems .