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Wisconsin

Context Data | Outcomes Data | Federal Comment

Wisconsin [ Context Data ]

A. Key Context Statistics


General Population
(Census Bureau)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Total children under 18 years

1,348,268

1,361,629

1,352,921

1,338,064

Race/ethnicity (%)1, 2

 

 

 

 

Alaska Native/American Indian1.21.11.11.1
AsianN/A2.62.62.7
Asian/Pacific Islander2.6N/AN/AN/A
Black7.98.38.58.6
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific IslanderN/AN/A00
Hispanic4.25.55.65.7
White84.180.480.179.7
Two or more racesN/A222.1
OtherN/A0.100

% Child population in poverty

9

13.7

12

12.2



Child Welfare Summary

1999

2000

2002

2002

Child maltreatment victims39,79112,12011,91711,628
Children in foster care on 9/3010,86810,5049,4978,744
Children adopted6427367541,028


1The convention for the data tables is the following: N/A in the data table means that the category was not applicable for the specific year. A dash (-) means that there is "no value" or the category is a true zero (that is, no children were reported as being in that category). A zero (0) means that there is a value for the category, but the value is less than 0.1 percent.Back
2The multiple and overlapping race categories in this and subsequent race tables are due to changes in the Census Bureau categories beginning in 2000. Because the reporting of these categories is a relatively new process for States, changes in percentages over time may be due to data quality issues.Back
3A child victim is a child who is the subject of a substantiated or indicated maltreatment report. Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once.Back

B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS)


 

Number

Rate

Maltreatment Information Overview

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment 34,31138,02140,21642,08725.4 per 1,00027.9 per 1,00029.7 per 1,00031.5 per 1,000
Child maltreatment victims9,79112,12011,91711,6287.3 per 1,0008.9 per 1,0008.8 per 1,0008.7 per 1,000
Child fatalities91017140.7 per 100,0000.7 per 100,0001.3 per 100,0001.0 per 100,000


Age of Child Victims (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Under 1 Year5.85.65.76.1
1-5 years24.924.724.222.7
6-10 years27.626.126.125.1
11-15 years34.235.135.337.7
16+ years7.388.17.9
Unknown / Missing data0.10.50.70.6
Total %100100100100

Number

9,791

12,120

11,917

11,628



Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Alaska Native/American Indian32.82.83.3
Asian/Pacific Islander222.11.8
Black3019.31818.9
Hispanic5.45.25.94.5
White58.569.467.467.6
Two or more races0------
Total %4105.4100100100

Number

9,791

12,120

11,917

11,628



Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Emotional Abuse0.70.40.60.4
Medical Neglect00.60.40.7
Neglect42.227.927.426.3
Physical Abuse21.915.415.514.5
Sexual Abuse37.94038.742.2
Unknown / Missing data0------
Other23.220.321.721.8
Total %5125.8104.6104.3105.9

Number

9,791

12,120

11,917

11,628



4Percentages may total more than 100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic ethnicity and by race.Back
5Percentages 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

FY1999 (10/1/98 - 9/30/99)9,3905,9414,46310,86815,331
FY2000 (10/1/99 - 9/30/00)8,4496,0014,03910,50414,450
FY2001 (10/1/00 - 9/30/01)8,3895,1584,3589,49713,547
FY2002 (10/1/01 - 9/30/02)7,7955,0545,1868,74412,849

Median Length of Stay (Months)

 

FY1999 (10/1/98 - 9/30/99)18N/A7.318.5N/A
FY2000 (10/1/99 - 9/30/00)16N/A6.516.5N/A
FY2001 (10/1/00 - 9/30/01)17.1N/A6.720.2N/A
FY2002 (10/1/01 - 9/30/02)22.5N/A7.321.3N/A


Age of Children in Foster Care (%)

In Care On: 10/1/98

In Care On: 10/1/99

In Care On: 10/1/00

In Care On: 10/1/01

Entered Care During FY: 1999

Entered Care During FY: 2000

Entered Care During FY: 2001

Entered Care During FY: 2002

Exited Care During FY: 1999

Exited Care During FY: 2000

Exited Care During FY:2001

Exited Care During FY: 2002

In Care On: 9/30/99

In Care On: 9/30/00

In Care On: 9/30/01

In Care On: 9/30/02

Under 1 Year2.73.42.83.18.78.910.19.62.53.63.32.92.82.73.13.1
1-5 years24.224.423.122.319.820.219.220.71817.519.824.622.223.521.921.4
6-10 years27.929.427.326.917.72017.716.917.718.416.821.42727.325.623.6
11-15 years30.130.732.933.938.736.837.337.230.531.1302731.832.434.135.5
16-18 years14.71213.713.6151415.615.630.629.129.423.515.413.81516.2
19+ years0.300.10.1000--0.60.30.50.40.50.20.20.1
Unknown / Missing data0.10.10.10.10.10.10.10.10.100.10.10.20.10.10.1
Total %100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100

Number

9,390

8,449

8,389

7,795

5,941

6,001

5,158

5,054

4,463

4,039

4,358

5,186

10,868

10,504

9,497

8,744



Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%)

In Care On: 10/1/98

In Care On: 10/1/99

In Care On: 10/1/00

In Care On: 10/1/01

Entered Care During FY: 1999

Entered Care During FY: 2000

Entered Care During FY: 2001

Entered Care During FY: 2002

Exited Care During FY: 1999

Exited Care During FY: 2000

Exited Care During FY:2001

Exited Care During FY: 2002

In Care On: 9/30/99

In Care On: 9/30/00

In Care On: 9/30/01

In Care On: 9/30/02

Alaska Native/American Indian3.332.22.13.83.53.63.24.75.143.232.52.11.8
AsianN/A1.10.90.9N/A22.12.2N/A2.81.91.6N/A0.91.11.2
Asian/Pacific Islander1.1N/AN/AN/A2.2N/AN/AN/A2.6N/AN/AN/A1.1N/AN/AN/A
Black50.95053.653.631.730.725.326.522.821.325.929.951.950.250.649.3
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific IslanderN/A000N/A000N/A------N/A000
Hispanic4.25.867.34.55.577.73.94.457.34.56.17.27.6
White40.338.134.632.957.455.759.456.465.965.260.753.439.137.536.136.5
Two or more racesN/A22.63N/A2.31.82.8N/A1.11.93.6N/A2.52.73.2
Unknown / Missing data--000.2--0.20.71.1--00.50.9--0.10.30.4
Total %100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100

Number

9,390

8,449

8,389

7,795

5,941

6,001

5,158

5,054

4,463

4,039

4,358

5,186

10,868

10,504

9,497

8,744



D. Children Waiting to be Adopted (AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database:  Fiscal Year Data)6


Overview

9/30/99

9/30/00

9/30/01

9/30/02

Children waiting to be adopted1,9931,9642,0491,911
Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR)1,7741,7571,083841


Age of Waiting Children (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Under 1 Year4.63.63.72.8
1-5 years37.535.229.927.6
6-10 years353636.534.2
11-15 years19.121.525.730
16+ years3.43.14.24.9
Unknown / Missing data0.40.60.10.5
Total %100100100100

Number

1,993

1,964

2,049

1,911



Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Alaska Native/American Indian53.31.71.5
AsianN/A0.80.40.4
Asian/Pacific Islander0.9N/AN/AN/A
Black47.444.361.964.3
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific IslanderN/A----0
Hispanic4.96.18.38.4
White40.842.22421.4
Two or more racesN/A3.33.73.8
Unknown / Missing data1----0.2
Total %100100100100

Number

1,993

1,964

2,049

1,911



6Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR). 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 Adoption Database)


Age of Adopted Children (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Under 1 Year2.32.76.86.3
1-5 years4142.143.940.9
6-10 years4036.533.835.3
11-15 years13.616.814.115
16+ years3.11.81.52.5
Total %100100100100

Number

642

736

754

1,028



Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Alaska Native/American Indian54.92.81.8
AsianN/A10.40.3
Asian/Pacific Islander--N/AN/AN/A
Black41.738.536.540.2
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific IslanderN/A------
Hispanic6.16.57.37.6
White47.247.846.644.5
Two or more racesN/A1.26.55.7
Unknown / Missing data--0.1----
Total %100100100100

Number

642

736

754

1,028



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Wisonsin [ Outcomes Data ]

1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect (NCANDS)

1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Children without a recurrence--------
Children with one or more recurrences--------
Total %--------

Number

--

--

--

--



Graph of the Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months

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 (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Children maltreated while in foster care------0.6
Children not maltreated while in foster care------99.4
Total %------100

Number

--

--

--

15,156



Graph of the Occurance of Maltreatment in Foster Care

3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care (AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database:  Fiscal Year Data)

3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Adoption13.2129.620.6
Guardianship--0.40.81.1
Reunification68.668.768.862.3
Other18.318.820.615.4
Missing data--0.10.20.5
Total %100100100100

Number

4,463

4,039

4,358

5,186



Percent Exits from Foster Care

1999200020012002
Graph of Exits from Foster Care in 1999Graph of Exits from Foster Care in 2000Graph of Exits from Foster Care in 2001Graph of Exits from Foster Care in 2002
 

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Adoption28.8276.825.6
Guardianship------0.2
Reunification5151.764.754.5
Other20.121.328.419.7
Missing data--------
Total %100100100100

Number

1,425

1,276

981

1,019



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

1999

2000

2001

2002

Adoption0.70.80.50.8
Guardianship------0.4
Reunification68.267.667.568.5
Other31.131.531.930
Missing data--0.10.10.4
Total %100100100100

Number

2,189

1,865

1,937

1,698



3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Children age 12 or younger at entry13.116.117.318.9
Children older than 12 at entry86.978.776.865.3
Missing data--5.1615.9
Total %100100100100

Number

289

254

336

334



3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%)

Alaska Native/A.I.

Asian

Asian/Pacific Islander

Black

Native Hawaiian/ Other P.I.

 

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

Adoption13.715.686N/A6.17.22.4--N/AN/AN/A2317.812.326.3N/A------
Guardianship----0.6--N/A--------N/AN/AN/A--1.22.32.7N/A------
Reunification67.370.775.669N/A69.672.385.716.9N/AN/AN/A17.217.521.113.3N/A------
Other1913.715.924.4N/A24.320.511.9--N/AN/AN/A--0.30.60.2N/A------
Missing data------0.6N/A------N/A------
Total %100100100100N/A100100100100N/AN/AN/A100100100100N/A------

Number

211

205

176

168

N/A

115

83

84

118

N/A

N/A

N/A

1,017

859

1,129

1,551

N/A

--

--

--

 

 

Hispanic

White

Unable to Determine

Two or More Races

Missing Data

 

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

1999

2000

2001

2002

Adoption18.617.418.620.59.99.67.118.1--------N/A15.934.935.1------3.7
Guardianship--2.80.91.3--00.20.3------5N/A----1.6--------
Reunification6861.861.865.171.270.771.464.4----81.88566.772.751.842.6--10091.796.3
Other13.41817.712.618.919.621.317--10018.21033.39.113.311.7----8.3--
Missing data----0.90.5------0.1--------N/A2.3--9--------
Total %100100100100100100100100--100100100100100100100--100100100

Number

172

178

220

381

2,939

2,635

2,644

2,767

--

1

11

20

6

44

83

188

--

2

12

27



4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry (AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database:  Fiscal Year Data)

4.1 Time to Reunification (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Less than 12 mos.7477.270.966.5
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.15.812.714.413.4
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.54.55.75.3
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.2.31.32.42.4
48 or more mos.2.71.82.42.6
Missing data0.22.549.8
Total %100100100100

Number

3,061

2,775

2,998

3,233



Graph of Time to Reunification



4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Children entering care for the first time66.364.46668.4
Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode24.421.925.522.2
Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode9.4786.2
Missing data--6.60.53.2
Total %100100100100

Number

5,941

6,001

5,158

5,054



Graph of Re-entries Into Foster Care

5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption (AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database:  Fiscal Year Data)

5.1 Time to Adoption (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Less than 12 mos.7.58.119.13.5
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.11.418.419.96.8
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.20.624.410.310.5
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.22.716.55.76.4
48 or more mos.37.831.68.411
Missing data--136.661.9
Total %100100100100

Number

587

484

418

1,067



Graph of Time to Adoption

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 2 or Fewer Placements

Missing Data

Total %

Number

Less than 12 mos.199995.24.801006,801
200094.55.5--1006,807
200193.86.2--1005,938
200292.37.7--1005,741
At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.19998218--1003,051
200082.317.7--1002,936
200176.323.7--1002,696
200273.926.1--1002,051
At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.199970.729.301001,738
20007327--1001,703
200175.524.5--1001,807
200267.132.9--1001,504
At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.199960.639.4--1001,263
200067.532.40.1100924
200173.426.6--1001,036
200268.331.7--1001,180
48 or more mos.199962.637.30.11002,436
200066.533.401002,068
200165.834.101002,055
200261.138.801002,342
Missing data1999100----10042
2000100----10012
2001100----10015
2002100----10031


Graph of Children Experiencing 2 or Fewer Placements

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 (%)

1999

2000

2001

2002

Group homes23.157.3
Institutions3.63.33.63.5
Other settings94.491.691.187.8
Missing data--2.10.31.4
Total %100100100100

Number

3,225

3,410

2,896

2,796



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Wisconsin [ Federal Comment ]

The following discussion focuses on Wisconsin’s performance with regard to each of the outcomes assessed in the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Reports to Congress. The Wisconsin Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) was completed in fiscal year (FY) 2003, and compliance with the national standards was based on data from 2001. The final report for that review is available from the Child Welfare Monitoring Documents Library. A discussion of the implications of CFSR findings for Wisconsin’s performance on the Report to Congress Outcomes is provided in Child Welfare Outcomes 2001.

The Federal Comment includes an examination of State performance in 2002 and the percent change in performance from 1999 to 2002. A difference in percent change from 1999 to 2002 that was less than plus or minus 5.0 was considered to represent “no change in performance.” With the exception of outcome measure 2.1, the data presented in the Report to Congress are rounded to one decimal. However, the percent change in performance was calculated using data rounded to two decimals. Measure 2.1 is rounded to two decimals because the national standard is less than one percent. Key findings of the analyses of national data pertaining to State variation in performance on the outcome measures are incorporated into a State’s Federal Comment when relevant.

Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect
Wisconsin’s performance on outcome 1 cannot be assessed as part of the Federal Comment section because the State does not provide data to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) for calculating this outcome. To ensure data consistency across States, only data submitted through NCANDS are presented for this outcome in the Report to Congress. However, the State provided data for calendar year (CY) 2001 for this outcome for its CFSR using an alternative source. The alternative source indicated that 6.9 percent of children who were the subject of a substantiated or indicated child maltreatment report in the first 6 months of the calendar year experienced another substantiated or indicated child maltreatment within 6 months of the prior report. This does not meet the national standard of 6.1 percent or less.

Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In CY 2002, Wisconsin’s incidence of maltreatment in foster care was 0.61 percent, which is more than both the national standard of 0.57 percent or less and the national median of 0.39 percent. Change in performance on this measure cannot be assessed because 2002 was the first year that the State reported these data to NCANDS.

Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In FY 2002, 84.1 percent of children exiting foster care in Wisconsin were discharged to a permanent home (which is less than the national median of 86.1 percent), and 69.7 percent of children exiting foster care who were older than age 12 at entry into foster care were discharged to a permanent home (which is less than the national median of 72.0 percent). However, 80.3 percent of children with a diagnosed disability who exited foster care were discharged to a permanent home (which is more than the national median of 79.8 percent), and 18.9 percent of the children emancipated from foster care were age 12 or younger when they entered foster care, which is less than the national median of 26.9 percent. In general, Wisconsin’s performance on the measures assessing outcome 3 exhibited no change from FY 1999 to FY 2002. However, performance declined with regard to the percentage of children emancipated from foster care who were age 12 or younger when they entered foster care (+43.5 percent change).

Outcome 4. Reduce time to reunification without increasing re-entry
In FY 2002, the percentage of all reunifications in Wisconsin occurring within 12 months of a child’s entry into foster care was 66.5, which is less than both the national standard of 76.2 percent or more and the national median of 68.0 percent. Performance with regard to reunifications within 12 months declined from FY 1999 to FY 2002 (-10.1 percent change).

Wisconsin’s performance in FY 2002 with regard to the percent of re-entries into foster care within 12 months of a discharge from a prior foster care episode was 22.2 percent, which is more than both the national standard of 8.6 percent or less and than the national median of 9.9 percent. However, performance on this measure improved from FY 1999 to FY 2002 (-8.9 percent change).

The cross-State analyses found a substantial positive relationship between State variation in performance on this outcome measure in FY 2002 and State variation in the percentage of children entering foster care in FY 2002 who were age 16 or older. States with a relatively high percentage of children age 16 and older entering foster care in FY 2002 tended to have a relatively high percentage of children entering foster care who were re-entering with 12 months of a prior episode. For Wisconsin, both the percentage of children entering foster care who were age 16 and older (15.6 percent) and the incidence of foster care re-entry (22.2 percent) were in the top quartile of the State rankings. One explanation for this is that children age 16 and older who enter foster care are often entering because of their own behaviors (or through the juvenile justice system) rather than as a result of maltreatment, and they may leave the foster care system before the behavior problems are fully resolved. This is particularly relevant to Wisconsin because this State provides child welfare foster care services to children in the juvenile justice system.

Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In FY 2002, the percentage of all finalized adoptions occurring within 24 months of a child’s entry into foster care was 10.3, which is less than the national standard of 32.0 percent or more and the national median of 23.0 percent. Wisconsin’s performance on this measure declined from FY 1999 to FY 2002 (-45.5 percent change).

Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In FY 2002, the percentage of children who experienced no more than 2 placement settings during their first 12 months in foster care was 92.3, which is more than both the national standard of 86.7 percent or more and the national median of 84.1 percent. Wisconsin’s performance on this measure did not change from FY 1999 to FY 2002.

Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In FY 2002, the percentage of children age 12 or younger placed in a group home or institution was 10.7, which is more than the national median of 8.6 percent. Wisconsin’s performance on this measure declined from FY 1999 to FY 2002 (+90.1 percent change).

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