Child Welfare Outcomes 2000:
Annual Report
Chapter IV - State Data
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State
Comment
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Iowa [ Context Data ]
A. Key Context Statistics
|
General Population |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Total children under 18 years |
722,139 |
719,685 |
733,638 |
|
Race/ethnicity (%)1 |
|||
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.7 |
1.7 |
1.4 |
|
Black |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.9 |
|
Hispanic |
3.1 |
3.3 |
4.5 |
|
White |
92.4 |
92.0 |
88.8 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
1.8 |
|
Other |
N/A |
N/A |
0.2 |
|
% Child population in poverty |
13.2 |
9.9 |
8.4 |
|
% Child population living in metropolitan areas |
47.3 |
53.5 |
45.7 |
|
Child Welfare |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Child maltreatment victims |
7,311 |
9,763 |
10,822 |
|
Children in foster care on 9/30 |
4,920 |
4,854 |
5,068 |
|
Children adopted |
525 |
764 |
735 |
1) The 2000 Census of the United States includes two new race catagories: (1) Persons of two or more races and (2) Other. Back
B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS)
|
|
Number |
Rate |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Maltreatment Information Overview |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1998 |
2000 |
|||||
|
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
28,072 |
26,812 |
31,317 |
38.9 per 1,000 |
37.3 per 1,000 |
42.7 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child maltreatment victims2 |
7,311 |
9,763 |
10,822 |
10.1 per 1,000 |
13.6 per 1,000 |
14.8 per 1,000 |
|||||
|
Child fatalities |
10 |
11 |
10 |
1.4 per 100,000 |
1.5 per 100,000 |
1.4 per 100,000 |
|||||
|
Age of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
8.4 |
4.5 |
8.8 |
|
1-5 years |
32.5 |
34.1 |
34.7 |
|
6-10 years |
28.7 |
30.3 |
28.5 |
|
11-15 years |
20.6 |
22.3 |
21.4 |
|
16+ years |
4.8 |
7.4 |
5.6 |
|
Unknown |
5.0 |
1.4 |
1.0 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
7,311 |
9,763 |
10,822 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
1.3 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
|
Black |
8.2 |
8.0 |
8.3 |
|
Hispanic |
3.5 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
|
White |
71.4 |
74.2 |
74.0 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
- |
|
Other/Unknown |
18.8 |
16.2 |
12.5 |
|
Total %3 |
103.5 |
103.7 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
7,311 |
9,763 |
10,822 |
|
Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Emotional abuse |
0.4 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
|
Medical neglect |
2.9 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
|
Neglect |
59.4 |
63.1 |
68.1 |
|
Physical abuse |
22.0 |
25.2 |
22.4 |
|
Sexual abuse |
13.2 |
11.1 |
8.7 |
|
Other |
4.1 |
2.4 |
2.8 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total %4 |
102.1 |
104.7 |
104.7 |
|
Number |
7,311 |
9,763 |
10,822 |
2) Children with more than one
report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted
more than once. Back
3) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic
ethnicity and by race. Back
4) Percentages may total more than
100 percent because children could have been victims of more than
one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Number of Children |
In Care on 10/1 |
Entered Care |
Exited Care |
In Care on 9/30 |
Total Served |
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
4,846 |
5,331 |
5,257 |
4,920 |
10,177 |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
4,954 |
5,343 |
5,443 |
4,854 |
10,297 |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
4,862 |
5,620 |
5,414 |
5,068 |
10,482 |
|
Median Length of Stay (Months) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
12.9 |
N/A |
4.0 |
12.5 |
N/A |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
13.5 |
N/A |
4.7 |
11.7 |
N/A |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
12.5 |
N/A |
4.3 |
10.7 |
N/A |
|
Age of Children in Foster Care (%) |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Under 1 year |
2.5 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
5.3 |
4.9 |
6.4 |
2.5 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
3.2 |
|
1-5 years |
18.4 |
17.2 |
16.9 |
13.2 |
15.0 |
15.2 |
14.0 |
15.4 |
15.8 |
16.8 |
16.4 |
16.7 |
|
6-10 years |
20.1 |
20.1 |
18.5 |
13.0 |
12.9 |
13.4 |
12.3 |
14.1 |
13.7 |
19.9 |
18.1 |
16.4 |
|
11-15 years |
35.6 |
36.4 |
37.6 |
44.1 |
43.0 |
40.9 |
34.6 |
33.4 |
32.7 |
37.1 |
38.5 |
38.5 |
|
16-18 years |
23.3 |
23.6 |
24.5 |
24.4 |
24.1 |
24.0 |
36.0 |
34.6 |
34.5 |
23.4 |
24.4 |
25.0 |
|
19+ years |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
- |
- |
0.0 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
Unknown |
0.0 |
- |
- |
0.1 |
- |
0.1 |
0.1 |
- |
0.0 |
- |
- |
0.0 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,846 |
4,954 |
4,862 |
5,331 |
5,343 |
5,620 |
5,257 |
5,443 |
5,414 |
4,920 |
4,854 |
5,068 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%)5 |
In Care on 10/1/97 |
In Care on 10/1/98 |
In Care on 10/1/99 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
2.7 |
2.6 |
2.1 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
1.4 |
1.7 |
2.3 |
1.4 |
2.5 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
0.8 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
|
Black |
13.6 |
13.6 |
12.3 |
10.2 |
9.1 |
9.3 |
10.3 |
10.6 |
10.3 |
13.5 |
12.0 |
11.1 |
|
Hispanic |
3.1 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
4.1 |
3.1 |
3.7 |
4.1 |
3.8 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
White |
72.9 |
71.0 |
71.3 |
70.6 |
72.0 |
71.8 |
71.9 |
71.5 |
72.6 |
71.5 |
71.5 |
70.5 |
|
Two or more races |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
1.1 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.8 |
|
Unknown |
6.7 |
8.2 |
9.2 |
13.1 |
12.4 |
11.4 |
12.2 |
11.2 |
10.1 |
7.8 |
9.4 |
10.6 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,846 |
4,954 |
4,862 |
5,331 |
5,343 |
5,620 |
5,257 |
5,443 |
5,414 |
4,920 |
4,854 |
5,068 |
5) In this and subsequent race/ethnicity tables, data for two or more races may be provided for 1998 and 1999 because of States' resubmissions. However, data for 1998 and 1999 may not capture all children of two or more races and therefore may not be comparable to the 2000 data pertaining to two or more races. Back
D. Children Waiting to Be Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)6
|
Overview |
9/30/98 |
9/30/99 |
9/30/00 |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
1,039 |
1,044 |
1,019 |
|
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
938 |
922 |
826 |
|
Age of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
2.1 |
2.4 |
1.8 |
|
1-5 years |
33.5 |
32.6 |
31.6 |
|
6-10 years |
36.4 |
32.9 |
31.1 |
|
11-15 years |
23.1 |
25.7 |
28.9 |
|
16+ years |
4.6 |
5.4 |
5.9 |
|
Unknown |
0.3 |
1.1 |
0.7 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,039 |
1,044 |
1,019 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
5.4 |
4.3 |
3.1 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.1 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
|
Black |
20.3 |
19.1 |
17.6 |
|
Hispanic |
3.5 |
5.6 |
4.8 |
|
White |
66.3 |
63.7 |
63.9 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
0.6 |
|
Unknown |
3.5 |
7.0 |
9.4 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,039 |
1,044 |
1,019 |
6) Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parentsÂ’ rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation, have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations. Back
E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
Age of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Under 1 year |
0.8 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
|
1-5 years |
47.0 |
44.4 |
44.9 |
|
6-10 years |
36.8 |
37.7 |
34.4 |
|
11-15 years |
13.1 |
14.9 |
17.4 |
|
16+ years |
2.3 |
1.8 |
1.5 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
525 |
764 |
735 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
5.5 |
3.3 |
3.1 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
1.0 |
1.2 |
- |
|
Black |
16.6 |
17.8 |
20.5 |
|
Hispanic |
2.3 |
5.2 |
6.0 |
|
White |
69.1 |
64.1 |
65.6 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
0.9 |
|
Unknown |
5.5 |
8.4 |
4.8 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
525 |
764 |
735 |
Iowa [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS)
|
1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children without a recurrence |
90.8 |
91.6 |
88.2 |
|
Children with one or more recurrences |
9.2 |
8.4 |
11.8 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
8,698 |
8,699 |
5,041 |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster
Care
(NCANDS, AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database Jan —Sept)
|
2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children maltreated while in foster care |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
|
Children not maltreated while in foster care |
99.6 |
99.6 |
99.2 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
8,875 |
9,136 |
9,381 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
10.2 |
14.1 |
13.3 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
|
Reunification |
79.3 |
77.3 |
78.4 |
|
Other |
9.9 |
8.3 |
8.2 |
|
Missing data |
0.6 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
5,257 |
5,443 |
5,414 |
|
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
27.0 |
40.8 |
43.8 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
|
Reunification |
55.6 |
47.7 |
43.9 |
|
Other |
15.8 |
10.8 |
12.3 |
|
Missing data |
1.6 |
0.7 |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
891 |
969 |
886 |
|
3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Adoption |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
|
Reunification |
84.1 |
86.4 |
87.0 |
|
Other |
15.3 |
13.2 |
12.5 |
|
Missing data |
0.1 |
0.0 |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
3,175 |
3,106 |
2,995 |
|
3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
2.7 |
9.5 |
18.1 |
|
Children older than 12 at entry |
97.3 |
90.5 |
81.9 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
255 |
231 |
249 |
|
3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian/P.I. |
Black |
Hispanic |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
32.6 |
20.2 |
29.9 |
11.6 |
21.6 |
- |
17.0 |
23.2 |
24.7 |
9.3 |
19.6 |
18.9 |
|
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Reunification |
53.9 |
73.4 |
64.9 |
74.4 |
59.5 |
95.7 |
70.2 |
68.3 |
68.3 |
85.8 |
73.9 |
74.8 |
|
|
Other |
11.2 |
6.5 |
5.2 |
11.6 |
18.9 |
4.3 |
10.7 |
8.3 |
6.8 |
4.3 |
6.5 |
6.3 |
|
|
Missing data |
2.2 |
- |
- |
2.3 |
- |
- |
2.0 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
|
Number |
89 |
124 |
77 |
43 |
37 |
47 |
540 |
577 |
558 |
162 |
199 |
222 |
|
|
|
White |
Unable to Determine |
Two or More Races |
Missing Data |
|||||||||
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
|
Adoption |
9.7 |
12.7 |
11.7 |
4.9 |
11.0 |
10.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Reunification |
79.9 |
78.4 |
79.8 |
85.8 |
81.6 |
79.4 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Other |
10.2 |
8.6 |
8.4 |
8.9 |
7.2 |
10.4 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Missing data |
0.3 |
0.3 |
- |
0.5 |
0.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Number |
3,782 |
3,892 |
3,928 |
639 |
608 |
549 |
2 |
6 |
33 |
- |
- |
- |
|
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing
Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
4.1 Time to Reunification (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
81.0 |
80.2 |
81.1 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
11.5 |
13.2 |
11.6 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
3.7 |
3.2 |
3.4 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
2.1 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
|
48 or more mos. |
0.9 |
1.5 |
1.8 |
|
Missing data |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.8 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
4,168 |
4,207 |
4,247 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
66.4 |
64.8 |
66.4 |
|
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode |
27.0 |
26.7 |
24.9 |
|
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode |
5.7 |
7.7 |
8.2 |
|
Missing data |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
5,331 |
5,343 |
5,620 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
5.1 Time to Adoption (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
17.3 |
15.5 |
18.6 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
23.2 |
22.0 |
20.8 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
32.0 |
27.4 |
27.4 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
17.7 |
22.1 |
19.2 |
|
48 or more mos. |
8.7 |
12.7 |
13.8 |
|
Missing data |
1.1 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
538 |
769 |
720 |
6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) |
Year |
Children With 2 or Fewer Placements |
Children With 3 or More Placements |
Missing Data |
Total % |
Number |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
1998 |
87.7 |
12.3 |
- |
100.0 |
6,100 |
|
At least 12 mos., but <24 mos. |
1998 |
56.3 |
43.7 |
- |
100.0 |
1,746 |
|
At least 24 mos., but <36 mos. |
1998 |
34.4 |
65.6 |
- |
100.0 |
993 |
|
At least 36 mos., but <48 mos. |
1998 |
33.7 |
66.3 |
- |
100.0 |
751 |
|
48 or more mos. |
1998 |
46.2 |
53.8 |
- |
100.0 |
528 |
|
Missing data |
1998 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
100.0 |
59 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group
Homes or Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Group homes |
14.8 |
17.7 |
16.8 |
|
Institutions |
5.6 |
6.1 |
4.7 |
|
Other settings |
78.0 |
74.4 |
78.3 |
|
Missing data |
1.6 |
1.7 |
0.3 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,120 |
2,197 |
2,416 |
Iowa [ State Comment ]
Mary Nelson, Administrator
Division of Adult, Children & Family Services
Iowa Department of Human Services
515-281-5521
Context. Iowa's system serves children placed due to delinquency, emotional/behavioral problems, and abuse/neglect. Caseloads and supervisor:caseworker ratios are two to three times national standards. This past year, DHS underwent a major restructuring of our field and state offices, as well as significant reductions in staff.
Safety. Child abuse reports have continued to
increase--largely due to greater attention on child safety. In
2001, we investigated 25,696 abuse/neglect reports, and confirmed
abuse/neglect for 12,117 children.
Iowa's recurrence rate and incidence of abuse in care are both
higher than the national standard. We recently reviewed a sample of
recurrence data, however, and found that 20 percent did not
actually reflect subsequent abuse - rather, they reflected updated
information on the same incident or a report of
“historical” abuse that occurred before our first
contact with the family. Excluding these would reduce our
reoccurrence rate to 9.4%.
Permanency. Iowa's “time to re-unification” meets the national standard, while our re-entry rate is higher. Iowa's higher re-entry rate likely reflects our shorter lengths of stay. Re-entry rates are highest for youth age 11 and older who are in placement due to their behavior rather than abuse/neglect - for these youth, brief placements help to maintain the child in their permanent setting. Additionally, when a child is returned home, the court returns custody to the family the same day rather than using a “trial home visit” where the state maintains custody for a period of time, allowing the child to come back into care without counting as a “re-entry.”
DHS adoptions have stabilized at around 700 per year. Our “time to adoption” and our placement stability rate meet the national standard.
DHS remains committed to working with Courts and others to improve the safety, permanency and well-being of the children and families we serve.
For more detailed comments, please go to http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/publications.asp
