District of Columbia
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
District of Columbia [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 114,646 | 111,843 | 109,554 | 108,403 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Asian | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 74.3 | 72.4 | 70.5 | 68.8 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 9.9 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.9 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 11.9 | 13.2 | 15.4 | 16.4 |
| Two or more races | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| % Child population in poverty | 23.4 | 30.8 | 33.0 | 31.5 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 2,911 | 2,908 | 3,032 | 2,518 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 3,054 | 3,339 | 3,321 | 3,092 |
| Children adopted | 319 | 231 | 253 | 240 |
B. Child Maltreatment Data [National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)]
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overview Maltreatment Information | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate | Number | Rate |
| Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment | 7,578 | 66.1 per 1,000 | 7,332 | 65.6 per 1,000 | 8,243 | 75.2 per 1,000 | 11,000 | 101.5 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 2,911 | 25.4 per 1,000 | 2,908 | 26.0 per 1,000 | 3,032 | 27.7 per 1,000 | 2,518 | 23.2 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 5 | 4.4 per 100,000 | 9 | 8.1 per 100,000 | 7 | 6.4 per 100,000 | 6 | 5.5 per 100,000 |
1 Race/ethnicity data for 2001, 2002, and 2003 represent population estimates. Back
2 A child victim is defined as a child who is the subject of a substantiated or indicated maltreatment report. Back
3 Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once. Back
| Age of Child Victims (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 7.8 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 10.8 |
| 1-5 years | 30.0 | 28.2 | 25.8 | 25.2 |
| 6-10 years | 33.8 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 29.4 |
| 11-15 years | 21.7 | 24.2 | 26.6 | 28.4 |
| 16+ years | 6.7 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.2 |
| Unknown | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 2,911 | 2,908 | 3,032 | 2,518 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 68.3 | 70.6 | 52.2 | 55.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 3.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Unknown | 24.0 | 26.0 | 43.9 | 40.3 |
| Number | 2,911 | 2,908 | 3,032 | 2,518 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 14.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Medical neglect | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Neglect | 68.0 | 85.2 | 79.2 | 82.3 |
| Physical abuse | 13.4 | 17.3 | 22.9 | 19.5 |
| Sexual abuse | 6.4 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| Unknown/missing data | 23.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 25.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Number | 2,911 | 2,908 | 3,032 | 2,518 |
4 Percentages may total more than 100 because Hispanics may be counted by Hispanic ethnicity and race. Back
5 Percentages may total more than 100 because children can be victims of more than one type of maltreatment. Back
C. Characteristics of Children in Foster Care [Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS): Foster Care File]
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Total Number | 2,594 | 2,907 | 2,905 | 3,130 | 775 | 822 | 812 | 719 | 315 | 390 | 396 | 757 | 3,054 | 3,339 | 3,321 | 3,092 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 22.4 | 28.5 | 31.8 | 38.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 15.8 | 18.7 | 10.8 | 36.4 | 27.4 | 32.6 | 37.2 | 42.8 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| <1 year | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 12.3 | 12.5 | 11.6 | 12.2 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| 1 year | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 5.7 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| 2 years | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| 3 years | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 7.6 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| 4 years | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 3.6 |
| 5 years | 5.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| 6 years | 5.2 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 7.9 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 4.5 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| 7 years | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 7.9 | 3.8 | 6.5 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| 8 years | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 7.3 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| 9 years | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.3 |
| 10 years | 5.4 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 5.4 |
| 11 years | 5.5 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
| 12 years | 5.7 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 2.5 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| 13 years | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 6.6 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| 14 years | 5.8 | 4.8 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 6.2 |
| 15 years | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 7.6 | 4.8 | 6.7 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.2 |
| 16 years | 6.4 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 6.1 |
| 17 years | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| 18 years | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.4 |
| 19 years | 3.7 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.4 |
| 20 years | 1.5 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 7.7 | 10.6 | 6.5 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
| Missing data | 0.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| In Foster Care on 10/1 FY | Entered Foster Care in FY | Exited Foster Care in FY | In Foster Care on 9/30 FY | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Asian | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 96.7 | 94.8 | 92.2 | 89.0 | 83.9 | 78.0 | 62.7 | 61.2 | 88.6 | 88.5 | 75.3 | 78.6 | 94.3 | 91.4 | 87.0 | 85.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Two or more races | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Unknown | 1.6 | 3.1 | 5.1 | 7.8 | 11.6 | 18.1 | 32.1 | 34.2 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 20.5 | 17.4 | 3.5 | 6.3 | 9.8 | 11.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
D. Characteristics of Children "Waiting for Adoption"6 (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| Waiting for Adoption | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waiting children | 1,086 | 1,148 | 1,178 | 1,130 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 0 | 0 | 1 | 51 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 1 year | 2.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
| 2 years | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.9 |
| 3 years | 5.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| 4 years | 7.2 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 5.6 |
| 5 years | 7.6 | 7.0 | 5.8 | 6.9 |
| 6 years | 10.0 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 6.5 |
| 7 years | 9.2 | 9.8 | 6.6 | 6.9 |
| 8 years | 9.4 | 9.2 | 8.6 | 7.4 |
| 9 years | 9.1 | 9.8 | 9.1 | 8.1 |
| 10 years | 9.9 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| 11 years | 7.4 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 9.6 |
| 12 years | 7.4 | 7.6 | 9.0 | 8.3 |
| 13 years | 4.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 8.0 |
| 14 years | 2.6 | 4.4 | 6.1 | 5.6 |
| 15 years | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| 16 years | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
| 17 years | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 |
| 18 years | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 19 years | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 96.8 | 96.3 | 95.1 | 90.6 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Two or more races | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Unknown | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 6.5 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
6 There is no Federal definition for a child waiting to be adopted. The definition used in the table above includes children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parental rights have been terminated. It excludes children 16 years old and older whose parental rights have been terminated and who have a goal of emancipation. A State's own definition may differ from that used here. Furthermore, some numbers in this table may be lower than the numbers reported in the prior Child Welfare Outcomes reports. Only children with terminations prior to the end of the fiscal year of interest are included in the current table. Back
E. Characteristics of Children Adopted (AFCARS: Adoption File)
| Adoptions | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children adopted | 319 | 231 | 253 | 240 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 1.6 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| 1 year | 4.1 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| 2 years | 5.6 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 4.6 |
| 3 years | 5.3 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 4.6 |
| 4 years | 9.1 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 5.4 |
| 5 years | 10.3 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 6.3 |
| 6 years | 9.1 | 13.0 | 5.9 | 10.8 |
| 7 years | 9.1 | 11.3 | 6.7 | 10.4 |
| 8 years | 9.7 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 7.9 |
| 9 years | 10.0 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 9.6 |
| 10 years | 6.9 | 6.5 | 8.3 | 9.6 |
| 11 years | 4.4 | 7.8 | 9.1 | 7.5 |
| 12 years | 5.0 | 3.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 |
| 13 years | 3.4 | 2.2 | 5.5 | 5.4 |
| 14 years | 2.5 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 2.1 |
| 15 years | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 2.5 |
| 16 years | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
| 17 years | 1.3 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| 18 years | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| 19 years | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 20+ years | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 96.9 | 99.6 | 99.2 | 97.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Two or more races | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.7 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
District of Columbia [ Outcomes Data ]
1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect (NCANDS)
| 1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children without a recurrence | — | 91.7 | 93.6 | 91.9 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | — | 8.3 | 6.4 | 8.1 |
| Number | — | 1,353 | 1,413 | 1,215 |
2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care (NCANDS and AFCARS: Foster Care File, Jan.-Sept.)
| 2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children maltreated while in foster care | — | 0.33 | 0.39 | 0.43 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | — | 99.67 | 99.61 | 99.57 |
| Number | — | 3,651 | 3,621 | 3,701 |
3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care (AFCARS: Foster Care File)
| 3.1 Exits of Children from Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 14.3 | 14.6 | 4.3 | 37.1 |
| Guardianship | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 7.9 |
| Reunification | 53.0 | 57.7 | 76.5 | 44.5 |
| Other | 31.4 | 27.2 | 17.9 | 10.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 315 | 390 | 396 | 757 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 34.4 | 35.1 | 13.8 | 58.6 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 6.1 |
| Reunification | 37.5 | 40.5 | 48.3 | 23.2 |
| Other | 28.1 | 24.3 | 34.5 | 12.1 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 32 | 37 | 29 | 99 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 5.4 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| Reunification | 17.6 | 26.8 | 46.9 | 49.1 |
| Other | 82.4 | 71.1 | 52.1 | 43.8 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 91 | 97 | 96 | 112 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 20.0 | 26.5 | 27.8 | 29.6 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 80.0 | 73.5 | 72.2 | 67.6 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| Number | 25 | 49 | 54 | 71 |
| 3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%) | Alaska Native/Am. In. | Asian | Black (non-Hispanic) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.8 | 16.2 | 5.7 | 45.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 8.6 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 51.6 | 55.9 | 69.8 | 34.5 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 31.2 | 27.2 | 23.5 | 11.8 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 279 | 345 | 298 | 595 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pac. Is. | Hispanic (of any race) | White (non-Hispanic) | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 71.4 | 70.0 | 100.0 | 70.6 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 66.7 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 30.0 | 0.0 | 17.6 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reunification | 70.8 | 72.4 | 96.3 | 87.1 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 29.2 | 24.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 24 | 29 | 81 | 132 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 4.1 Time to Reunification (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 59.9 | 65.8 | 68.0 | 62.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 19.8 | 10.7 | 13.9 | 13.1 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 9.6 | 16.0 | 7.6 | 11.0 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 3.6 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
| 48 or more mos. | 7.2 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 8.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 167 | 225 | 303 | 337 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 85.4 | 86.7 | 81.2 | 74.4 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 3.7 | 5.7 | 9.7 | 12.8 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 6.2 | 5.4 | 8.6 | 12.2 |
| Missing data | 4.6 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Number | 775 | 822 | 812 | 719 |
5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 5.1 Time to Adoption (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 12 mos. | 2.2 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 13.3 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 3.9 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 35.6 | 15.8 | 0.0 | 11.0 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 17.8 | 14.0 | 11.8 | 19.2 |
| 48 or more mos. | 31.1 | 64.9 | 82.4 | 64.4 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| Number | 45 | 57 | 17 | 281 |
6. Increase Placement Stability (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%) | In Care less than 12 Months | In Care at Least 12 Months but less than 24 Months | In Care for 24 Months or Longer | Missing Time in Care | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Children with 2 or fewer placements | 86.5 | 86.3 | 84.5 | 91.2 | 75.8 | 68.5 | 57.9 | 62.0 | 59.5 | 55.8 | 50.0 | 41.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 13.5 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 8.8 | 24.2 | 31.5 | 42.1 | 38.0 | 40.5 | 44.2 | 50.0 | 58.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 820 | 880 | 878 | 753 | 748 | 531 | 508 | 513 | 1,801 | 2,318 | 2,331 | 2,578 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions (AFCARS Foster Care File)
| 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 (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group homes | 7.1 | 24.9 | 9.5 | 0.8 |
| Institutions | 16.5 | 20.6 | 20.0 | 28.0 |
| Other settings | 74.5 | 52.7 | 64.3 | 68.9 |
| Missing data | 2.0 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 2.2 |
| Number | 595 | 598 | 566 | 489 |
District of Columbia [ State Comment ]
Brenda Donald Walker, Director
Child and Family Services Agency
Government of the District of Columbia
The following are the District of Columbia's comments on the data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section B (Maltreatment Information Overview): The District first provided child-specific NCANDS data for all children who were the subject of an investigated report of alleged maltreatment in 2002. Therefore, reporting differences may limit the comparability of numbers for earlier years with those for 2002 and 2003. This limitation on comparability applies to all NCANDS data comparisons.
Section B (Race/Ethnicity of Victims): The District implemented new search capability in the later part of 2001 and the automated system did not populate the Race/Ethnicity fields for children previously known to the system from that point through September 2003. This data recording problem was corrected as of September 2003. Therefore, the 2000 and 2001 data are not comparable to 2002 and 2003.
Section D (Children Waiting to be Adopted): The Child and Family Services Agency is working jointly with the Family Court and the Office of the Attorney General to improve compliance with ASFA timelines for termination of parental rights (TPR). As a result of a joint effort to clear the ASFA backlog, 171 TPR motions were recently filed.
Section E (Children Adopted): There is a slight discrepancy between the number of children reported as adopted to the adoption file (Section E) and the number reported to the foster care file (outcome measure 5.1). This apparent discrepancy is the result of timing differences between the data on adoption as the reason for exit from foster care and the data on the date of the finalized adoption. This discrepancy has been corrected by the use of transaction dates starting with the District's AFCARS 2004 submission.
Permanency Outcomes: The District is concerned about the number of children lingering in foster care and is placing a high priority on improving permanency outcomes.
Outcome measure 7.1 (Placement of Young Children in Group Homes): The District's percentage of young children placed in group homes or institutions is inflated by the District's practice of sending young children to a specialized institution (St Ann's) for health assessment or shelter care immediately after home removal pending identification of longer term/permanent foster home placement. The majority of the children (who were in group homes or institutions) (15.3 percent) were placed in a foster home or returned home within 30 days. If those children are excluded, the District's percentage drops from 28.8 to 13.5 percent.
District of Columbia [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of the District of Columbia's (the District) performance on the national outcomes established for the Report to Congress. The discussion focuses on the District's performance in 2003 and on change in performance over time. Change over time was determined by calculating the percent change in performance from 2000 to 2003. A percent change that was less than 5.0 in either direction (i.e., positive or negative) was considered to represent "no change in performance."
Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect
In 2003, 8.1 percent of the children in the District who were victims of maltreatment during the first 6 months of the year experienced another maltreatment incident within a 6-month period (measure 1.1), which exceeds the national median of 7.1 percent. Although performance on this measure did not change from 2001 to 2003 (the District did not provide data for this measure in 2000), there was a considerable improvement in performance from 2001 to 2002 (-22.9 percent change) followed by a performance decline in 2003. These variations in performance may be due to data quality issues.
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.43 percent of children in foster care in the District were found to be the victims of substantiated or indicated maltreatment by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 0.39 percent, but also represents a decline in performance from 2001 to 2003 (+30.3 percent change).
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 89.5 percent of all children exiting foster care were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.1), which exceeds the national median of 86.3 percent. In addition, 87.9 percent of the children exiting foster care in 2003 who had a diagnosed disability were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.2), which exceeds the national median of 79.5 percent. In contrast, 56.3 percent of the children exiting foster care who older than age 12 when they entered foster care were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.3), which is substantially less than the national median of 72.2 percent. An assessment of performance over time was difficult for these measures because the number of children reported as exiting foster care in 2003 (757 children) was more than twice the number reported in 2000 (315 children). It is not clear whether this difference is due to data quality issues or to an actual difference in the number of children exiting foster care.
With regard to ensuring that children who are emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) do not spend most of their formative years in foster care, in 2003, 29.6 percent of the children in the District reported as emancipated from foster care entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). Although this percent is equal to the national median, performance on this measure declined from 2000 to 2003 (+48.0 percent change).
It is difficult to assess exits to permanency as a function of the child's race or ethnicity. Of the 757 children exiting care in 2003, 595 (79 percent) were reported to be Black (non-Hispanic) and 132 (17 percent) were reported as race "Unable to Determine."
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, 62.3 percent of all reunifications in the District occurred within 12 months of the child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1), which is less than the national median of 72.0 percent. Performance on this measure did not change from 2000 to 2003. In addition, 13.6 percent of the reunifications occurred after a child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which is considerably higher than the national median of 3.5 percent. Performance on this measure declined from 2000 to 2003 (+25.9 percent change).
Some of the data presented for the District suggest that data quality issues may explain performance on this measure. For example, there was a considerable increase in the median length of stay of children in foster care and of children exiting foster care from 2000 to 2003. In 2000, the median length of stay of children in foster care on the last day of the fiscal year was 27.4 months compared to 42.8 months in 2003. Similarly, in 2000, the median length of stay of children exiting foster care was 15.8 months, while in 2003, the median length of stay for children exiting foster care was 36.4 months. Because the reason for these extreme changes is not known, it is difficult to interpret performance on measures related to timeliness of permanency.
With regard to re-entry into foster care, in 2003, 12.8 percent of the children entering foster care in the District were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 9.5 percent, but also represents a considerable decline in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+245 percent change). The percentage of children entering foster care who were re-entering more than 12 months after a prior episode also increased considerably from 2000 to 2003, indicating a decline in performance (96.7 percent change). Overall, 25 percent of the children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
The District has not been successful in achieving outcome 5. In 2003, only 5.0 percent of the adoptions in the District occurred within 24 months of the child's entry into foster care, which is far less than the national median of 23.9 percent. Change in performance from 2000 to 2003 cannot be assessed because of data quality issues associate with the District's 2000 adoption data.
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 91.2 percent of children in foster care in the District for less than 12 months experienced no more than two placement settings (measure 6.1). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 84.2 percent, but also represents improved performance from 2000 (+5.4 percent change). In addition, 62.0 percent of the children in foster care for at least 12 months, but less than 24 months, experienced no more than two placement settings, which exceeds the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 28.8 percent of the children entering foster care in the District who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percent is three times the national median of 8.3 percent and represents a decline in performance on the measure from 2000 to 2003 (+22.0 percent change).
