Granville Institute
Discovering more ways to prevent and reduce child abuse through research and data analysis.
The Granville Institute for Child Advocacy Research is a data-driven research institute dedicated to preventing and reducing child abuse through applied research, policy analysis, and community partnership. Established as part of the Bethel-Mansfield (BEMA) Foundation, the institute’s mission is to protect children by uncovering the patterns, conditions, and systems that contribute to abuse—and by identifying actionable solutions to stop it.
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The Granville Institute explores the intersecting dynamics of child protection, poverty, trauma, education, and family policy. Research is organized across core initiatives that include case study analysis, statistical trend monitoring, policy evaluation, and the development of predictive models that help identify children most at risk.
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Using a research-practice model, the institute works collaboratively with child welfare agencies, school districts, advocacy organizations, and government partners to design projects that respond to real-world challenges in abuse prevention and child safety. These partnerships ensure that insights generated through research can be directly translated into practice and policy.
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The Granville Institute is funded through grants, philanthropic support, and partnerships, and is committed to serving as a trusted source of knowledge and innovation in the fight to end child abuse.
Our Impact
Discovering more ways to prevent and reduce child abuse through research and data analysis.
Research Briefs
Issue Briefs
Perspectives
RESEARCH BRIEF
With our research briefs we are presenting research findings, and usually these findings come from data analysis or having conducted a research project. It is study based and narrow in scope. Usually, we present anywhere between 2 and 6 pages of information.
ISSUE BRIEF
We publish issue briefs to explain and advocate issues, such as child abuse. They are problem-focused and have a broader context than a research brief. Our issue briefs are usually between 1 and 3 pages.
PERSPECTIVES
There are many times when researchers simply want to express an opinion that either comes from our research brief, issue brief, or any news event involving child abuse. These are merely reflections and opinions.
Our Methods
The Granville Institute is committed to using rigorous, transparent research methods to uncover the root causes and patterns behind child abuse and neglect. Our goal is to produce evidence-based insights that inform prevention strategies, policy reform, and frontline practice.
We draw on a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze both individual cases and systemic trends. Our methods include:
Single Case Study Analysis
Cross Case Analysis
Thematic Analysis
Correlational Analysis
Quantitative Data Analysis
In-Depth Interviews
Our methods are continuously refined to ensure ethical integrity, accuracy, and impact. At the Granville Institute, we believe that better data leads to better decisions—and that better decisions can save lives.
Why Our Methods Matter
At the Granville Institute, we believe that research is more than data—it’s a tool for justice. Every child abuse case we examine represents not just a tragedy, but an opportunity to learn, prevent, and protect.
Our methods matter because they:
Center the Child’s Experience: By analyzing real cases and gathering firsthand accounts, we ensure that the voices and lives of children remain at the heart of every research question we ask.
Move Beyond the Headlines: Rather than relying solely on public reporting, we use rigorous methodologies to uncover deeper patterns that may not be visible at first glance—patterns that can inform long-term systemic change.
Bridge Research and Action: Our findings are not designed to sit on shelves. Through partnerships with social workers, school systems, advocacy organizations, and policymakers, we turn research into real-world solutions.
Strengthen Prevention: By identifying risk indicators, policy gaps, and missed intervention points, our work helps inform strategies that stop abuse before it starts.
Build Accountability: Evidence-based insights are essential for holding systems accountable. Our research helps illuminate not just individual failures, but institutional ones—guiding reforms that better protect vulnerable children.
At a time when too many child abuse cases are treated as isolated or unpredictable, our methods offer something different: clarity, connection, and a pathway forward.
Antoinette J. Okono, PhD
Executive Director, Bethel-Mansfield Foundation
Chief Research Officer, Granville Institute
Principal Investigator, All Projects 2021-