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Delaware
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Delaware [ Context Data ]
A. Key Context Statistics
|
General Population |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Total children under 18 years |
179,071 |
182,450 |
194,587 |
191,092 |
|
Race/ethnicity (%)1 |
||||
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Asian |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
2.2 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
2.2 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
N/A |
|
Black |
23.7 |
24.0 |
23.7 |
23.7 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0.0 |
|
Hispanic |
5.2 |
5.5 |
7.0 |
7.2 |
|
White |
68.7 |
67.9 |
64.2 |
64.3 |
|
Two or more races |
N/A |
N/A |
2.5 |
2.3 |
|
Other |
N/A |
N/A |
0.3 |
N/A |
|
% Child population in poverty |
16.6 |
17.6 |
17.4 |
9.3 |
|
% Child population living in metropolitan areas |
82.6 |
81.8 |
81.9 |
82.2 |
|
Child Welfare |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Child maltreatment victims |
2,894 |
2,111 |
1,813 |
1,666 |
|
Children in foster care on 9/30 |
1,480 |
1,193 |
1,098 |
1,023 |
|
Children adopted |
62 |
33 |
103 |
117 |
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 |
2001 |
1998 |
1998 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment |
9,693 |
8,330 |
8,683 |
8,437 |
54.1 per 1,000 |
45.7 per 1,000 |
44.6 per 1,000 |
42.8 per 1,000 |
|
Child maltreatment victims2 |
2,894 |
2,111 |
1,813 |
1,666 |
16.2 per 1,000 |
11.6 per 1,000 |
9.3 per 1,000 |
8.5 per 1,000 |
|
Child fatalities |
3 |
3 |
- |
- |
1.7 per 100,000 |
1.6 per 100,000 |
- per 100,000 |
- |
|
Age of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Under 1 year |
5.4 |
5.4 |
8.9 |
9.1 |
|
1-5 years |
28.7 |
25.8 |
26.5 |
25.9 |
|
6-10 years |
33.4 |
33.0 |
31.5 |
30.5 |
|
11-15 years |
23.8 |
25.6 |
25.5 |
26.2 |
|
16+ years |
8.5 |
8.8 |
7.6 |
8.2 |
|
Unknown |
0.0 |
1.4 |
- | 0.1 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,894 |
2,111 |
1,813 |
1,666 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
- |
0.1 |
- |
0.1 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
- |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
|
Black |
48.3 |
44.6 |
44.1 |
46.3 |
|
Hispanic |
4.9 |
7.9 |
7.0 |
9.5 |
|
White |
50.3 |
52.4 |
48.3 |
43.7 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Other/Unknown |
1.5 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
|
Total %3 |
104.9 |
106.5 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,894 |
2,111 |
1,813 |
1,666 |
|
Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Emotional abuse |
16.2 |
15.5 |
18.7 |
19.3 |
|
Medical neglect |
2.6 |
1.8 |
3.5 |
1.9 |
|
Neglect |
39.4 |
37.5 |
32.0 |
31.1 |
|
Physical abuse |
25.4 |
25.3 |
20.5 |
22.3 |
|
Sexual abuse |
8.6 |
11.1 |
9.4 |
9.7 |
|
Other |
7.8 |
9.0 |
16.0 |
15.7 |
|
Unknown |
0.1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total %4 |
100.0 |
100.2 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
2,894 |
2,111 |
1,813 |
1,666 |
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) |
781 |
1,023 |
333 |
1,480 |
1,804 |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
1,002 |
1,002 |
811 |
1,193 |
2,004 |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
1,033 |
950 |
886 |
1,098 |
1,983 |
|
FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01) |
1,033 |
950 |
886 |
1,098 |
1,983 |
|
Median Length of Stay (Months) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98) |
12.7 |
N/A |
3.5 |
9.5 |
N/A |
|
FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99) |
11.5 |
N/A |
3.7 |
12.5 |
N/A |
|
FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00) |
14.1 |
N/A |
5.4 |
13.7 |
N/A |
|
FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01) |
14.1 |
N/A |
5.4 |
13.7 |
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 |
In Care on 10/1/00 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Entered Care During FY 2001 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 2001 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
In Care on 9/30/01 |
|
Under 1 year |
5.6 |
4.2 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
7.7 |
11.1 |
10.0 |
9.5 |
- |
4.8 |
4.5 |
4.4 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
|
1-5 years |
21.5 |
25.0 |
25.1 |
22.8 |
18.0 |
15.5 |
14.9 |
13.7 |
- |
17.5 |
20.7 |
18.8 |
24.6 |
23.0 |
20.8 |
20.0 |
|
6-10 years |
23.3 |
26.3 |
24.5 |
23.6 |
17.0 |
14.7 |
15.2 |
14.3 |
- |
18.0 |
16.8 |
16.4 |
25.0 |
22.9 |
22.4 |
20.6 |
|
11-15 years |
26.2 |
25.0 |
25.3 |
27.8 |
30.2 |
29.8 |
32.1 |
32.7 |
29.1 |
20.7 |
22.6 |
24.0 |
26.4 |
28.0 |
29.2 |
30.2 |
|
16-18 years |
23.3 |
19.4 |
20.5 |
21.4 |
27.1 |
28.9 |
27.8 |
29.8 |
70.6 |
38.3 |
34.9 |
36.0 |
19.9 |
21.4 |
23.6 |
25.1 |
|
19+ years |
- |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
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 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
781 |
1,002 |
1,033 |
1,000 |
1,023 |
1,002 |
950 |
939 |
333 |
811 |
886 |
916 |
1,480 |
1,193 |
1,098 |
1,023 |
|
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 |
In Care on 10/1/00 |
Entered Care During FY 1998 |
Entered Care During FY 1999 |
Entered Care During FY 2000 |
Entered Care During FY 2001 |
Exited Care During FY 1998 |
Exited Care During FY 1999 |
Exited Care During FY 2000 |
Exited Care During FY 2001 |
In Care on 9/30/98 |
In Care on 9/30/99 |
In Care on 9/30/00 |
In Care on 9/30/01 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
- |
- |
- |
0.1 |
0.2 |
- |
0.3 |
0.1 |
- |
- |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
- |
0.1 |
- |
|
Asian |
- |
- |
0.1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.3 |
- |
- |
- |
0.2 |
- |
- |
- |
0.1 |
- |
- |
|
Black |
58.0 |
62.5 |
61.9 |
62.0 |
59.4 |
59.8 |
61.4 |
57.1 |
59.5 |
58.2 |
59.8 |
57.8 |
59.6 |
63.1 |
63.0 |
61.3 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Hispanic |
4.7 |
6.4 |
7.6 |
8.0 |
5.7 |
6.6 |
5.6 |
7.7 |
6.0 |
5.5 |
5.6 |
9.3 |
5.1 |
7.1 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
|
White |
32.3 |
30.6 |
30.2 |
29.9 |
30.7 |
32.8 |
32.7 |
35.0 |
32.4 |
34.8 |
34.1 |
32.8 |
31.2 |
29.7 |
29.3 |
32.1 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Unknown |
5.0 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
- |
4.0 |
0.5 |
- |
- |
2.1 |
1.2 |
0.2 |
- |
4.9 |
- |
- |
- |
|
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 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
781 |
1,002 |
1,033 |
1,000 |
1,023 |
1,002 |
950 |
939 |
333 |
811 |
886 |
916 |
1,480 |
1,193 |
1,098 |
1,023 |
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 |
9/30/01 |
|
Children waiting to be adopted |
138 |
271 |
334 |
319 |
|
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR) |
0 |
123 |
181 |
192 |
|
Age of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Under 1 year |
1.4 |
0.7 |
2.4 |
4.4 |
|
1-5 years |
39.1 |
40.2 |
36.8 |
34.2 |
|
6-10 years |
45.7 |
45.8 |
41.3 |
36.4 |
|
11-15 years |
13.0 |
12.9 |
18.6 |
24.5 |
|
16+ years |
0.7 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
0.3 |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
138 |
271 |
334 |
319 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Asian |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Black |
57.2 |
66.8 |
67.7 |
62.4 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Hispanic |
5.8 |
6.3 |
6.3 |
5.3 |
|
White |
26.8 |
26.9 |
26.0 |
32.3 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Unknown |
10.1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
138 |
271 |
334 |
319 |
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 |
2001 |
|
Under 1 year |
- |
- |
- |
1.7 |
|
1-5 years |
38.7 |
57.6 |
58.3 |
51.3 |
|
6-10 years |
46.8 |
42.4 |
32.0 |
35.9 |
|
11-15 years |
14.5 |
- |
9.7 |
10.3 |
|
16+ years |
- |
- |
- |
0.9 |
|
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
62 |
33 |
103 |
117 |
|
Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Alaska Native/American Indian |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Asian |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Asian/Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Black |
51.6 |
39.4 |
55.3 |
61.5 |
|
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Hispanic |
8.1 |
6.1 |
3.9 |
10.3 |
|
White |
14.5 |
51.5 |
38.8 |
28.2 |
|
Two or more races |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Unknown |
25.8 |
3.0 |
1.9 |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
62 |
33 |
103 |
117 |
Delaware [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS)
|
1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Children without a recurrence |
93.1 |
97.9 |
97.0 |
97.2 |
|
Children with one or more recurrences |
6.9 |
2.1 |
3.0 |
2.8 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,506 |
1,070 |
922 |
1,058 |
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 |
2001 |
|
Children maltreated while in foster care |
0.10 |
0.05 |
- |
0.11 |
|
Children not maltreated while in foster care |
99.90 |
99.95 |
- |
99.89 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,730 |
1,829 |
- |
1,750 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Adoption |
- |
4.7 |
10.9 |
13.0 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
3.9 |
1.8 |
3.3 |
|
Reunification |
94.6 |
83.5 |
79.3 |
76.5 |
|
Other |
5.1 |
7.9 |
7.9 |
7.1 |
|
Missing data |
0.3 |
- |
- |
0.1 |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
333 |
811 |
886 |
916 |
|
3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Adoption |
- |
1.6 |
12.8 |
12.2 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
8.2 |
3.8 |
8.1 |
|
Reunification |
93.3 |
80.3 |
67.9 |
55.4 |
|
Other |
6.7 |
9.8 |
15.4 |
24.3 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
30 |
61 |
78 |
74 |
|
3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Adoption |
- |
- |
- |
0.2 |
|
Guardianship |
- |
2.4 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
|
Reunification |
94.5 |
84.3 |
85.5 |
87.7 |
|
Other |
5.2 |
13.3 |
14.1 |
11.3 |
|
Missing data |
0.3 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
325 |
414 |
447 |
470 |
|
3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Children age 12 or younger at entry |
- |
17.0 |
10.9 |
24.0 |
|
Children older than 12 at entry |
100.0 |
83.0 |
87.0 |
76.0 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
2.2 |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
3 |
47 |
46 |
50 |
|
3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) |
Alaska Native/A.I. |
Asian |
Asian/Pacific Islander |
Black |
Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Adoption |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4.2 |
10.0 |
13.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3.4 |
1.3 |
2.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Reunification |
- |
- |
100.0 |
50.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
100.0 |
- |
- |
94.9 |
84.7 |
81.3 |
78.1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Other |
- |
- |
- |
50.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4.5 |
7.6 |
7.4 |
5.9 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
20.0 |
- |
- |
- |
0.5 |
- |
- |
0.2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
- |
- |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
100.0 |
- |
- |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Number |
- |
- |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
198 |
472 |
530 |
529 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Hispanic |
White |
Unable to Determine |
Two or More Races |
Missing Data |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Adoption |
- |
4.4 |
6.0 |
16.5 |
- |
4.6 |
13.2 |
11.0 |
- |
30.0 |
50.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Guardianship |
- |
- |
2.0 |
8.2 |
- |
5.7 |
2.6 |
3.7 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Reunification |
95.0 |
86.7 |
88.0 |
67.1 |
94.4 |
81.6 |
74.5 |
76.7 |
85.7 |
60.0 |
50.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Other |
5.0 |
8.9 |
4.0 |
8.2 |
5.6 |
8.2 |
9.6 |
8.7 |
14.3 |
10.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total % |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Number |
20 |
45 |
50 |
85 |
108 |
282 |
302 |
300 |
7 |
10 |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing
Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
4.1 Time to Reunification (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
88.6 |
83.6 |
83.6 |
86.0 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
6.7 |
12.4 |
11.2 |
9.0 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
1.3 |
2.4 |
2.6 |
2.0 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
0.3 |
0.6 |
1.4 |
1.7 |
|
48 or more mos. |
- |
0.6 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
|
Missing data |
3.2 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
315 |
677 |
703 |
701 |
|
4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Children entering care for the first time |
75.3 |
72.8 |
69.2 |
71.4 |
|
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode |
17.5 |
15.5 |
16.5 |
16.8 |
|
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode |
3.9 |
10.2 |
11.4 |
11.1 |
|
Missing data |
3.3 |
1.6 |
2.9 |
0.7 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
1,023 |
1,002 |
950 |
939 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)
|
5.1 Time to Adoption (%) |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Less than 12 mos. |
- |
- |
1.0 |
1.7 |
|
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. |
- |
7.9 |
18.6 |
16.0 |
|
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. |
- |
26.3 |
36.1 |
30.3 |
|
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. |
- |
26.3 |
21.6 |
25.2 |
|
48 or more mos. |
- |
39.5 |
22.7 |
26.9 |
|
Missing data |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total (%) |
- |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
- |
38 |
97 |
119 |
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 |
97.7 |
2.3 |
- |
100.0 |
1,111 |
|
At least 12 mos., but <24 mos. |
1998 |
84.0 |
16.0 |
- |
100.0 |
288 |
|
At least 24 mos., but <36 mos. |
1998 |
83.0 |
17.0 |
- |
100.0 |
159 |
|
At least 36 mos., but <48 mos. |
1998 |
83.3 |
16.7 |
- |
100.0 |
96 |
|
48 or more mos. |
1998 |
73.6 |
26.4 |
- |
100.0 |
140 |
|
Missing data |
1998 |
100.0 |
- |
- |
100.0 |
10 |
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 |
2001 |
|
Group homes |
2.4 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
3.8 |
|
Institutions |
2.0 |
3.9 |
5.9 |
2.8 |
|
Other settings |
95.4 |
94.8 |
92.7 |
93.2 |
|
Missing data |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
|
Total (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
Number |
502 |
466 |
438 |
395 |
Delaware [ State Comment ]
Delaware's comments on the State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2001: Report to Congress are the following:
The data based on our NCANDS and AFCARS submissions are complete with the exception of the outcome that concerns the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care. The data for 2000 should read as follows:
In addition, we are concerned about the child poverty rates shown for 2000 and 2001 in your Key Context Statistics on page 1. KIDS Count in Delaware uses a three year rolling average for this figure and reports the Statewide rate as 16.6% for 1998-2000, and 16.7% for 1999-2001. Your data reflects the 2000 child poverty rate as 17.4% and the 2001 rate as 9.3% based on the Annual Demographic Survey, March Supplement from the Bureau of the Census. This survey indicated that 35,000 of 209,000 children in Delaware were in poverty in 2000 and that 18,000 of 197,000 children were in poverty in 2001.
We believe that this wide disparity is due to the nature of the March Supplement. According to background information you kindly provided us: "The March Current Population Survey (CPS) provides a consistent historical time series at the national level, and can also be used to look at state-level trends and differences (through multi-year averages), though the large sampling error of state-level data limit its usefulness." The extremely wide sampling error in Delaware results in a poverty range of 8.9% to 24.9% in 2000 and a range of 7.6% to 11% in 2001. This is probably due in part to our small population size. We believe that our child poverty rates are more accurately reflected by the KIDS Count Delaware data cited earlier and would like to have that reflected in Child Welfare Outcomes 2001.
Delaware [ Federal Comment ]
The following discussion focuses on Delaware's performance with regard to each of the outcomes assessed in the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Reports to Congress. The Delaware Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) was completed in fiscal year (FY) 2001, and compliance with the national standards was based on data from 1999. The final report for that review is available from [Put CB WEBSITE information here]. A discussion of the implications of CFSR findings for Delaware's performance on the Report to Congress Outcomes is provided in Child Welfare Outcomes 2000.
The State's performance is assessed by examining the percent change in the data for each outcome measure from 1999 to 2001. The percent change was calculated using data carried out to the second decimal point. However, with the exception of outcome measure 2.1, the data presented in the Report to Congress are rounded to one decimal for ease of reading the tables (measure 2.1 must be presented as two decimals because the national standard is less than one percent).
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or
neglect
In calendar year (CY) 2001, the rate of maltreatment recurrence
within 6 months was 2.8 percent, which meets the national standard
of 6.1 or less and is considerably lower than the national median
of 8.0 percent. Performance on this measure declined from 1999 to
2001 (+35.0 percent). In addition, information from the CFSR Final
Report suggests that the reported rate of maltreatment recurrence
within 6 months may be misleading, because the agency generally
does not conduct a formal investigation of maltreatment reports
when they involve children who are already being served by the
agency in open cases. Consequently, there may be instances of
maltreatment recurrence within 6 months that are not reported to
the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect
in foster care
In CY 2001, the percentage of children maltreated while in foster
care by foster parents or facility staff was .11. This is less than
the national standard of .57 or less and the national median of
.47. Although performance on this measure declined statistically
from 1999 to 2001 (+109.0 percent change), the small number of
children involved suggest that the change does not represent an
actual decline in performance.
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster
care
In FY 2001, 92.8 percent of children leaving foster care were
discharged to permanent homes (which is higher than the national
median of 85.3); 75.7 percent of children with a diagnosed
disability who exited foster care were discharged to permanent
homes (which is lower than the national median of 78.4 percent);
and 88.8 percent of children exiting foster care who were older
than age 12 at the time of entry into foster care were discharged
to permanent homes (which is substantially higher than the national
median of 72.3). These findings suggest that Delaware generally is
successful in achieving permanency for children, but is less
successful when children have a diagnosed disability. A change in
performance from FY 1999 to FY 2001 occurred only with respect to
achieving permanency for children with a diagnosed disability
(-16.1 percent change, representing a performance decline).
Also in FY 2001, 24.0 percent of the children emancipated from foster care were age 12 or younger at the time of entry into foster care (which is lower than the national median of 28.0 percent). Performance on this measure declined considerably from FY 1999 to FY 2001 (+41.0 percent change). However, this measure exhibits instability over the 3-year time span, possibly due to the small number of children who are emancipated from foster care in the State.
Outcome 4. Reduce time to reunification without increasing
re-entry
In FY 2001, the percentage of all reunifications occurring within
12 months of children's entry into foster care was 86.0 percent,
which exceeds both the national standard of 76.2 percent and the
national median of 69.2 percent. Performance on this measure did
not change substantively from FY 1999 to FY 2001.
Delaware's high performance with regard to reunification within 12 months must be balanced by the finding that in FY 2001, the percentage of children re-entering foster care within 12 months of discharge from a prior foster care episode was 16.8, which does not meet the national standard of 8.6 or less, and exceeds the national median of 10.3. Delaware's performance on this measure declined from FY 1999 to FY 2001 (+8.8 percent change).
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In FY 2001, the percentage of all finalized adoptions occurring
within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care was 17.7,
which does not meet the national standard of 32.0 percent or more,
and is less than the national median of 21.0 percent. Performance
on this measure improved considerably from FY 1999 to FY 2001
(+123.5 percent change). However, the number of adoptions in FY
1999 was only 38, compared to 119 adoptions reported in FY
2001.
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In FY 2001, the percentage of children who experienced no more
than 2 placements during their first 12 months in foster care was
96.2, which exceeds both the national standard of 86.7 percent and
the national median of 83.3 percent. Performance on this measure
did not change substantively from FY 1999 to FY 2001.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes
and institutions
In FY 2001, the percentage of children age 12 or younger placed in
a group home or institution was 6.6, which is less than the
national median of 8.7. Performance on this measure improved
considerably from FY 1999 to FY 2001 (+33.4 percent change).
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