Skip Navigation
Administration for Children and Families  
ACF
ACF Home   |   Services   |   Working with ACF   |   Policy/Planning   |   About ACF   |   ACF News   |   HHS Home

  Questions?  |  Privacy  |  Site Index  |  Contact Us  |  Download Reader™  |  Print      


Children's Bureau Safety, Permanency, Well-being  Advanced
 Search

 

Rhode Island

Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment

Rhode Island [ Context Data ]

A. Key Context Statistics

General Population

1998

1999

2000

2001

Total children under 18 years

237,917

241,180

247,822

243,064

Race/ethnicity (%)1

 Alaska Native/American Indian

0.6

0.6

0.6

0.6

 Asian

N/A

N/A

N/A

2.8

 Asian/Pacific Islander

3.2

3.2

2.7

N/A

 Black

5.5

5.5

5.5

6.4

 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

N/A

N/A

N/A

0.1

 Hispanic

10.3

10.9

14.1

14.4

 White

80.5

79.8

72.7

73.2

 Two or more races

N/A

N/A

3.3

2.4

 Other

N/A

N/A

1.2

N/A

% Child population in poverty

22.8

14.3

15.8

11.0

% Child population living in metropolitan areas

93.1

92.2

94.3

90.4

 

Child Welfare

1998

1999

2000

2001

Child maltreatment victims

3,448

3,485

3,361

3,319

Children in foster care on 9/30

2,844

2,621

2,302

2,414

Children adopted

222

292

260

267

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

1999

2000

2001

Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment

9,863

9,424

11,531

11,369

41.5 per 1,000

39.1 per 1,000

46.5 per 1,000

45.7 per 1,000

Child maltreatment victims2

3,448

3,485

3,361

3,319

14.5 per 1,000

14.4 per 1,000

13.6 per 1,000

13.3 per 1,000

Child fatalities

2

4

3

5

0.8 per 100,000

1.7 per 100,000

1.2 per 100,000

2.0 per 100,000

 

Age of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Under 1 year

6.8

6.8

9.8

10.6

1-5 years

29.1

29.0

30.0

28.8

6-10 years

31.5

32.0

30.5

31.1

11-15 years

23.5

23.0

23.9

24.1

16+ years

8.0

8.4

4.8

5.3

Unknown

1.0

0.8

1.0

0.1

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

3,319

 

Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

1.5

1.0

1.2

1.2

Asian/Pacific Islander

2.3

2.1

1.8

2.2

Black

17.1

16.3

13.2

0.6

Hispanic

16.8

17.3

18.2

19.3

White

72.8

72.6

61.3

59.1

Two or more races

-

-

1.0

2.7

Other/Unknown

6.3

8.0

2.4

2.2

Total %3

116.8

117.3

100.0

100.0

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

3,319

 

Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Emotional abuse

0.7

0.6

0.2

0.2

Medical neglect

2.5

2.2

2.3

2.0

Neglect

84.7

84.6

73.9

75.8

Physical abuse

28.9

26.6

19.8

19.7

Sexual abuse

8.9

8.9

7.4

5.9

Other

3.4

3.8

6.1

5.2

Unknown

-

-

-

-

Total %4

129.1

126.7

109.8

108.7

Number

3,448

3,485

3,361

3,319

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)

1,907

1,623

915

2,844

3,530

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

2,102

1,403

1,018

2,621

3,505

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

2,181

1,409

1,348

2,302

3,590

FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01)

2,122

1,493

1,227

2,414

3,615

Median Length of Stay (Months)

 

 

 

 

 

FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98)

15.6

N/A

7.4

14.2

N/A

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

15.5

N/A

11.1

15.3

N/A

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

16.6

N/A

11.7

15.1

N/A

FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01)

16.1

N/A

10.1

15.5

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

5.0

5.4

4.8

4.9

11.7

14.0

12.7

12.3

6.3

6.1

4.5

5.1

4.5

4.7

4.9

4.3

1-5 years

23.2

22.5

20.4

17.3

18.8

19.1

16.0

17.7

22.8

26.8

22.7

21.7

20.9

20.5

17.7

18.2

6-10 years

21.8

20.6

19.2

18.7

17.3

15.1

15.6

13.3

19.2

21.5

16.5

14.1

19.9

17.6

17.5

16.0

11-15 years

25.8

29.7

30.4

33.3

33.1

33.2

38.4

38.1

26.2

25.9

25.9

29.8

27.5

28.4

33.7

32.3

16-18 years

20.0

18.6

21.8

21.7

18.4

17.7

17.2

18.2

22.2

17.1

26.0

24.0

22.8

24.4

22.1

25.0

19+ years

3.7

3.0

3.5

4.1

0.4

0.6

0.1

0.3

2.3

2.4

3.6

4.3

3.8

3.9

4.0

4.1

Unknown

0.5

0.0

-

0.0

0.2

0.1

-

-

0.9

0.2

0.9

1.1

0.6

0.6

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

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,907

2,102

2,181

2,122

1,623

1,403

1,409

1,493

915

1,018

1,348

1,227

2,844

2,621

2,302

2,414

 

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

2.1

1.6

1.2

1.2

1.5

2.2

1.2

1.3

2.2

3.1

1.0

1.1

1.7

1.4

1.3

1.3

Asian

-

-

2.0

1.4

-

-

1.2

2.2

-

-

2.0

2.0

-

-

1.6

1.6

Asian/Pacific Islander

0.8

1.3

-

-

1.7

2.4

-

-

1.0

1.5

-

-

1.2

2.0

-

-

Black

25.5

23.4

22.6

21.4

17.9

18.1

16.3

17.1

19.5

19.6

18.8

18.3

22.6

21.3

20.7

20.5

Hawaiian Native/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

0.0

0.0

-

-

0.1

-

-

-

0.1

-

-

-

0.1

0.0

Hispanic

13.1

15.5

13.4

14.8

16.0

15.0

20.2

17.3

13.7

19.7

18.6

16.1

14.3

14.0

14.7

15.6

White

54.3

54.3

58.0

58.3

59.3

59.4

58.0

58.8

59.5

51.9

56.7

60.1

56.3

57.9

58.7

57.7

Two or more races

-

-

0.0

1.0

-

-

0.9

1.3

-

-

0.2

0.6

-

-

0.5

1.5

Unknown

4.3

3.9

2.7

1.8

3.7

2.8

2.1

1.9

4.3

4.1

2.6

2.0

3.8

3.3

2.4

1.8

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

1,907

2,102

2,181

2,122

1,623

1,403

1,409

1,493

915

1,018

1,348

1,227

2,844

2,621

2,302

2,414

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

322

339

399

409

Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR)

100

87

238

253

 

Age of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Under 1 year

1.2

1.5

0.8

1.2

1-5 years

40.4

34.8

28.3

31.1

6-10 years

41.3

36.6

32.8

28.9

11-15 years

15.2

25.1

33.8

33.3

16+ years

1.6

2.1

3.0

4.7

Unknown

0.3

-

1.3

1.0

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

322

339

399

409

 

Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

2.2

0.9

1.3

0.7

Asian

-

-

1.3

0.7

Asian/Pacific Islander

0.3

1.2

-

-

Black

27.0

32.2

27.6

30.3

Hawaiian Native/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

0.3

0.2

Hispanic

14.9

13.3

19.3

15.6

White

50.6

45.1

47.1

49.9

Two or more races

-

-

-

1.5

Unknown

5.0

7.4

3.3

1.0

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

322

339

399

409

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

1.8

1.4

2.3

2.6

1-5 years

52.3

45.2

51.5

53.2

6-10 years

34.2

37.3

30.4

29.6

11-15 years

9.5

14.4

14.6

13.5

16+ years

2.3

1.7

1.2

1.1

Unknown

-

-

-

-

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

222

292

260

267

 

Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

0.9

2.1

0.4

2.2

Asian

-

-

0.8

2.2

Asian/Pacific Islander

1.8

0.7

-

-

Black

29.7

25.7

25.8

24.3

Hawaiian Native/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

-

-

Hispanic

6.3

12.7

15.4

13.1

White

36.0

45.5

53.8

46.8

Two or more races

-

-

1.5

3.0

Unknown

25.2

13.4

2.3

8.2

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

222

292

260

267

Back to Top

Rhode Island [ 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

87.4

87.8

87.6

89.0

Children with one or more recurrences

12.6

12.2

12.4

11.0

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,751

1,781

1,634

1,624

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children With One or More Recurrences of Maltreatment within 6 months data from Table 1.1 above.

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

1.60

2.31

1.66

1.62

Children not maltreated while in foster care

98.40

97.69

98.34

98.38

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

3,400

3,292

3,177

3,327

Bar chart describing Percentage of Children Maltreated While in Foster Care data from Table 2.1 above.

3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

12.8

20.7

12.6

13.8

Guardianship

1.9

1.9

3.1

2.9

Reunification

59.2

62.7

59.3

68.8

Other

12.1

8.9

14.5

13.7

Missing data

14.0

5.8

10.4

0.9

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

915

1,018

1,348

1,227

Pie Charts describing data from Table 3.1 above.

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

11.9

30.2

13.5

12.4

Guardianship

-

0.5

4.2

3.3

Reunification

51.2

39.6

51.4

64.5

Other

14.4

18.7

18.1

19.4

Missing data

22.5

11.0

12.7

0.4

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

160

182

259

242

 

3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

-

0.3

0.5

-

Guardianship

1.1

0.6

0.7

1.6

Reunification

53.8

68.3

58.3

72.4

Other

20.3

18.2

25.8

24.2

Missing data

24.8

12.5

14.7

1.8

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

359

319

563

561

 

3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children age 12 or younger at entry

16.7

11.6

17.1

18.2

Children older than 12 at entry

80.6

83.7

81.7

80.5

Missing data

2.8

4.7

1.2

1.3

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

36

43

82

77

 

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

10.0

21.9

7.7

15.4

-

-

-

12.5

11.1

26.7

-

-

24.7

22.5

18.9

21.9

-

-

-

-

Guardianship

-

9.4

15.4

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

5.1

2.5

5.1

3.6

-

-

-

-

Reunification

85.0

56.3

61.5

53.8

-

-

81.5

70.8

44.4

66.7

-

-

46.1

58.0

53.9

58.9

-

-

100.0

-

Other

-

9.4

7.7

30.8

-

-

14.8

16.7

33.3

6.7

-

-

13.5

12.0

14.6

14.3

-

-

-

-

Missing data

5.0

3.1

7.7

-

-

-

3.7

-

11.1

-

-

-

10.7

5.0

7.5

1.3

-

-

-

-

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

-

Number

20

32

13

13

-

-

27

24

9

15

-

-

178

200

254

224

-

-

1

-

 

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

7.2

23.9

11.2

10.1

9.7

17.6

11.5

12.2

20.5

33.3

14.3

20.8

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Guardianship

3.2

0.5

2.4

2.0

0.7

1.9

2.6

3.1

-

-

2.9

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Reunification

73.6

65.2

61.8

74.2

59.7

64.2

59.0

70.4

56.4

57.1

65.7

70.8

-

-

100.0

71.4

-

-

-

-

Other

3.2

6.0

12.7

13.1

13.8

9.1

15.4

13.6

12.8

7.1

11.4

8.3

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Missing data

12.8

4.5

12.0

0.5

16.0

7.2

11.4

0.7

10.3

2.4

5.7

-

-

-

-

28.6

-

-

-

-

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

-

-

100.0

100.0

-

-

-

-

Number

125

201

251

198

544

528

764

737

39

42

35

24

-

-

3

7

-

-

-

-

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.

65.9

64.1

63.3

68.8

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

9.0

17.2

19.8

17.2

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

2.0

4.1

5.6

4.3

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

1.8

1.4

3.0

2.7

48 or more mos.

1.8

2.2

1.8

3.6

Missing data

19.4

11.0

6.6

3.4

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

542

638

800

844

Bar chart describing reunification percentages data in Table 4.1 above.

4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children entering care for the first time

48.4

65.0

66.7

64.8

Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode

18.2

21.6

20.8

20.9

Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode

8.3

8.7

11.1

13.2

Missing data

25.1

4.7

1.4

1.1

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,623

1,403

1,409

1,493

Bar chart describing re-entries into Foster Care within 12 months from data in Table 4.2 above.

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.

5.1

9.5

7.6

12.4

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

23.1

20.4

30.0

31.4

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

13.7

26.5

24.1

24.9

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

20.5

12.3

16.5

13.6

48 or more mos.

29.1

14.7

20.6

16.6

Missing data

8.5

16.6

1.2

1.2

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

117

211

170

169

Bar Chart describing Percentage of Adoptions Occurring in Less Than 24 or greater than 48 Months of Entry data from Table 5.1 above

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
1999
2000
2001

72.7
76.7
72.6
78.8

27.3
22.6
27.4
21.2

0.1
0.7
-
-

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

1,712
1,593
1,653
1,710

At least 12 mos., but <24 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

47.0
58.1
55.1
55.1

47.0
37.9
44.9
44.9

5.9
3.9
-
-

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

761
762
742
739

At least 24 mos., but <36 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

35.2
34.4
45.5
45.4

54.4
53.1
54.3
54.3

10.4
12.5
0.2
0.3

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

327
480
409
357

At least 36 mos., but <48 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

27.8
29.5
28.5
40.3

48.9
56.5
70.4
58.9

23.2
14.0
1.1
0.8

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

237
207
284
241

48 or more mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

31.4
25.3
26.1
20.8

54.4
59.3
73.5
78.3

14.2
15.5
0.4
0.9

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

478
459
494
553

Missing data

1998
1999
2000
2001

66.7
100.0
100.0
100.0

33.3
-
-
-

-
-
-
-

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

15
4
8
15

Bar chart describing foster care placements over time percentages data from Table 6.1 above.

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

19.8

16.6

15.8

17.5

Institutions

0.6

1.3

1.2

1.9

Other settings

79.6

82.1

82.9

80.7

Missing data

-

-

-

-

Total (%)

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

470

469

726

756

Back to Top

Rhode Island [ State Comment ]

Rhode Island's comments on State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2001: Report to Congress are the following:

The State of Rhode Island is pleased once again to submit our comments as part of the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Report. We are very proud of our accomplishments and are using the federal outcome measures to improve the services we provide to children, youth, and families.

Rhode Island has made significant progress in reducing the amount of missing or incomplete data.

It is important to note that the data submitted to AFCARS for our children in foster care include not only traditional child welfare youth, but also juvenile justice, children's mental health and developmentally disabled youth. We believe that this additional population impacts both average length of stay as well as the proportion of youth in group care.

RI is very aggressive in investigating child abuse reports that have been disclosed by the victim after the initial child abuse investigation has begun but which relate to incidents of child abuse and neglect prior to the initial opening. These reports impact Outcome Measure 1 as they appear to be incidents of repeat abuse because the report date occurs after the initial report is received.

RI data includes indicated allegations of corporeal punishment by foster parents which is prohibited by RI law. Institutional abuse includes the state's juvenile detention facility and private psychiatric hospitals. These factors impact Outcome Measure 2.

Back to Top

Rhode Island [ Federal Comment ]

At the time of the preperation of this report, the Rhode Island Child and Family Service Review had not been conducted. States are not accountable for meeting national standards until the time of their review.

Back to Top

Return to Chapter IV State Data Pages

Return to Table of Contents