Illinois
Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment
Illinois [ Context Data ]
A. Context Statistics
| General Child Population (Census Bureau) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total children under 18 years | 3,246,640 | 3,244,892 | 3,235,189 | 3,230,606 |
| Race/Ethnicity (%)1 | ||||
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 18.5 | 18.4 | 17.8 | 17.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 17.0 | 17.6 | 17.3 | 17.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 59.2 | 58.9 | 59.9 | 59.3 |
| Two or more races | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| % Child population in poverty | 17.6 | 15.8 | 17.7 | 17.4 |
| Child Welfare Summary | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child maltreatment victims2 | 31,447 | 27,557 | 28,160 | 28,344 |
| Children in foster care on 9/30 | 29,565 | 28,202 | 24,344 | 21,608 |
| Children adopted | 5,664 | 4,106 | 3,634 | 2,701 |
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 | 146,792 | 45.2 per 1,000 | 142,967 | 44.1 per 1,000 | 137,321 | 42.5 per 1,000 | 134,919 | 41.8 per 1,000 |
| Total child maltreatment victims3 | 31,447 | 9.7 per 1,000 | 27,557 | 8.5 per 1,000 | 28,160 | 8.7 per 1,000 | 28,344 | 8.8 per 1,000 |
| Child fatalities | 76 | 2.3 per 100,000 | 79 | 2.4 per 100,000 | 70 | 2.2 per 100,000 | 61 | 1.9 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 | 13.7 | 13.9 | 13.8 | 13.4 |
| 1-5 years | 33.3 | 33.2 | 34.0 | 33.5 |
| 6-10 years | 29.2 | 28.6 | 28.1 | 28.1 |
| 11-15 years | 19.9 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 20.7 |
| 16+ years | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Unknown | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Number | 31,447 | 27,557 | 28,160 | 28,344 |
| Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)4 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 3.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 38.4 | 37.2 | 36.3 | 35.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 9.4 | 10.0 | 9.3 | 10.3 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 48.0 | 48.4 | 51.0 | 52.1 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 0.5 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 1.9 |
| Number | 31,447 | 27,557 | 28,160 | 28,344 |
| Maltreatment Types of Child Victims (%)5 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional abuse | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Medical neglect | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Neglect | 44.0 | 43.7 | 55.3 | 58.3 |
| Physical abuse | 12.7 | 12.8 | 35.5 | 34.8 |
| Sexual abuse | 10.1 | 10.0 | 16.2 | 19.2 |
| Unknown/missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 43.7 | 43.5 | 6.2 | 0.0 |
| Number | 31,447 | 27,557 | 28,160 | 28,344 |
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 | 33,265 | 30,202 | 26,353 | 22,813 | 6,607 | 6,350 | 5,973 | 5,794 | 10,308 | 8,350 | 7,986 | 7,002 | 29,565 | 28,202 | 24,344 | 21,608 |
| Median length of stay (months) | 39.5 | 42.4 | 40.6 | 39.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 45.5 | 40.4 | 38.4 | 35.1 | 38.3 | 41.1 | 40.0 | 36.2 |
| 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 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 22.3 | 23.4 | 23.9 | 23.0 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| 1 year | 5.2 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.5 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 2 years | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 6.0 |
| 3 years | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 4 years | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| 5 years | 5.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| 6 years | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 6.5 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| 7 years | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 6.4 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| 8 years | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| 9 years | 5.2 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
| 10 years | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| 11 years | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.0 |
| 12 years | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| 13 years | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| 14 years | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| 15 years | 4.9 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| 16 years | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.9 |
| 17 years | 5.6 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| 18 years | 4.6 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| 19 years | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 1.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| 20 years | 2.0 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Missing data | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 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 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | <.1 | 0.2 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.1 |
| Asian | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 75.6 | 74.3 | 72.4 | 69.6 | 58.4 | 55.1 | 53.4 | 53.6 | 71.0 | 66.8 | 66.1 | 62.4 | 73.4 | 72.2 | 69.7 | 67.7 |
| 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) | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 17.4 | 18.7 | 20.3 | 22.4 | 32.3 | 35.1 | 36.1 | 38.1 | 20.8 | 25.0 | 25.7 | 29.2 | 19.5 | 20.5 | 22.5 | 24.4 |
| Two or more races | 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 |
| Unknown | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| 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 | 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 | 10,727 | 8,963 | 6,225 | 3,811 |
| Numbers of waiting children whose parents' rights have been terminated | 5,246 | 4,378 | 3,578 | 3,199 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 4.2 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 0.9 |
| 1 year | 7.3 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 3.5 |
| 2 years | 8.6 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 6.2 |
| 3 years | 7.9 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 6.1 |
| 4 years | 7.1 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 6.3 |
| 5 years | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.3 |
| 6 years | 7.5 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 5.4 |
| 7 years | 7.5 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| 8 years | 7.4 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.5 |
| 9 years | 7.3 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
| 10 years | 6.8 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 11 years | 5.7 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.7 |
| 12 years | 5.2 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 7.1 |
| 13 years | 3.9 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 8.0 |
| 14 years | 3.2 | 4.0 | 5.3 | 7.5 |
| 15 years | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 7.4 |
| 16 years | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.5 |
| 17 years | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.2 |
| 18 years | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| 19 years | <.1 | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| 20+ years | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.2 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | 0.2 | 0.1 | <.1 | <.1 |
| Asian | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 74.1 | 71.9 | 69.9 | 69.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 19.4 | 21.7 | 23.8 | 24.6 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
| 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 | 5,664 | 4,106 | 3,634 | 2,701 |
| Age (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| 1 year | 3.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 6.2 |
| 2 years | 7.0 | 7.4 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
| 3 years | 11.0 | 11.9 | 11.7 | 9.9 |
| 4 years | 9.6 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 10.0 |
| 5 years | 9.0 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 8.9 |
| 6 years | 8.7 | 8.0 | 6.4 | 7.4 |
| 7 years | 8.5 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 6.3 |
| 8 years | 8.4 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 6.7 |
| 9 years | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 6.3 |
| 10 years | 7.1 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
| 11 years | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 5.5 |
| 12 years | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.4 |
| 13 years | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| 14 years | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.0 |
| 15 years | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| 16 years | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 |
| 17 years | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 18 years | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| 19 years | <.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | <.1 |
| 20+ years | <.1 | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.1 |
| Missing data | — | — | — | — |
| Race/Ethnicity (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native/American Indian | <.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 0.1 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | 76.9 | 77.1 | 72.3 | 68.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hispanic (of any race) | 4.8 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 4.3 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 16.0 | 16.5 | 20.4 | 24.0 |
| Two or more races | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Unknown | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 3.1 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Illinois [ 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 | 90.3 | 89.9 | 92.5 | 92.5 |
| Children with one or more recurrences | 9.7 | 10.1 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Number | 15,391 | 13,074 | 13,232 | 13,172 |
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 | 0.72 | 0.57 | 0.64 | 0.53 |
| Children not maltreated while in foster care | 99.28 | 99.43 | 99.36 | 99.47 |
| Number | 37,173 | 34,542 | 30,348 | 27,093 |
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 | 54.4 | 46.6 | 42.8 | 37.8 |
| Guardianship | <.1 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 28.8 | 34.7 | 37.1 | 41.5 |
| Other | 14.5 | 14.5 | 16.3 | 18.3 |
| Missing data | 2.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 2.1 |
| Number | 10,308 | 8,350 | 7,986 | 7,002 |
| 3.2 Exits of Children with a Diagnosed Disability (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 43.2 | 38.2 | 41.7 | 38.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | <.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Reunification | 23.4 | 28.1 | 26.2 | 27.8 |
| Other | 26.8 | 24.6 | 26.9 | 31.7 |
| Missing data | 6.6 | 9.1 | 5.0 | 2.2 |
| Number | 1,633 | 1,617 | 1,998 | 2,070 |
| 3.3 Exits of Children Older than Age 12 at Entry into Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Reunification | 31.9 | 42.2 | 43.2 | 47.4 |
| Other | 57.4 | 46.4 | 47.2 | 45.3 |
| Missing data | 7.9 | 8.8 | 6.8 | 4.1 |
| Number | 1,552 | 1,170 | 1,057 | 981 |
| 3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children age 12 or younger at entry | 38.1 | 53.7 | 61.0 | 65.1 |
| Children older than 12 at entry | 61.1 | 46.3 | 38.9 | 34.9 |
| Missing data | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Number | 1,350 | 1,131 | 1,250 | 1,238 |
| 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 | 55.6 | 100.0 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 7.1 | 33.3 | 21.4 | 60.1 | 55.0 | 47.7 | 41.8 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.1 | <.1 | 0.2 |
| Reunification | 22.2 | 0.0 | 28.6 | 40.0 | 55.0 | 71.4 | 50.0 | 42.9 | 23.5 | 25.9 | 29.4 | 33.9 |
| Other | 22.2 | 0.0 | 14.3 | 60.0 | 10.0 | 21.4 | 16.7 | 28.6 | 14.2 | 15.7 | 19.0 | 22.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.1 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 2.1 |
| Number | 9 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 7,315 | 5,576 | 5,279 | 4,368 |
| |
||||||||||||
| 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 | 41.9 | 37.0 | 39.8 | 31.0 | 38.4 | 27.3 | 31.3 | 30.2 |
| Guardianship | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | <.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Reunification | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 43.6 | 46.6 | 47.3 | 52.0 | 42.1 | 54.0 | 53.6 | 54.9 |
| Other | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.7 | 12.1 | 10.3 | 14.9 | 16.6 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 12.2 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 6.3 | 3.9 | 2.2 |
| Number | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 613 | 489 | 467 | 377 | 2,149 | 2,084 | 2,050 | 2,046 |
| |
||||||||||||
| Unable to Determine | Two or more Races | Missing Data | ||||||||||
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
| Adoption | 58.9 | 34.5 | 34.1 | 43.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 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 | 31.7 | 52.0 | 51.2 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Other | 9.4 | 6.8 | 10.4 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 6.8 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 202 | 177 | 164 | 192 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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. | 40.2 | 51.7 | 52.3 | 58.5 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 17.4 | 17.3 | 19.3 | 16.5 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 11.9 | 12.4 | 10.3 | 9.2 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 9.2 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.5 |
| 48 or more mos. | 17.2 | 11.9 | 11.7 | 9.0 |
| Missing data | 4.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Number | 2,970 | 2,901 | 2,965 | 2,904 |
| 4.2 Children Re-entering Foster Care (%) | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children entering care for the first time | 73.2 | 81.5 | 83.7 | 81.5 |
| Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode | 14.3 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 9.1 |
| Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode | 7.8 | 9.4 | 7.8 | 9.0 |
| Missing data | 4.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Number | 6,607 | 6,350 | 5,973 | 5,794 |
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. | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos. | 7.3 | 7.4 | 8.5 | 11.9 |
| At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos. | 14.1 | 17.8 | 19.2 | 18.3 |
| At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos. | 21.8 | 19.1 | 19.9 | 18.3 |
| 48 or more mos. | 55.3 | 54.2 | 50.2 | 49.3 |
| Missing data | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 5,606 | 3,891 | 3,415 | 2,646 |
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 | 80.2 | 81.0 | 80.8 | 82.6 | 63.3 | 63.8 | 64.0 | 63.7 | 36.7 | 33.4 | 31.3 | 29.9 | 78.1 | 100.0 | 93.0 | 93.2 |
| Children with 3 or more placements | 18.0 | 19.0 | 19.2 | 17.3 | 36.3 | 36.2 | 36.0 | 36.3 | 63.2 | 66.6 | 68.7 | 70.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 7.0 | 6.8 |
| Number | 6,733 | 6,778 | 6,436 | 6,231 | 5,674 | 4,751 | 4,834 | 4,349 | 27,169 | 24,966 | 20,999 | 17,955 | 297 | 57 | 57 | 73 |
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 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Institutions | 4.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Other settings | 95.6 | 97.4 | 97.7 | 98.0 |
| Missing data | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Number | 4,936 | 5,149 | 4,882 | 4,680 |
Illinois [ State Comment ]
Bryan Samuels, Director
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
The following are Illinois comments on the State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2003: Report to Congress.
Section B (Maltreatment Type of Child Victims): In the Maltreatment section, the reason the percentage of physical and sexual abuse increased over time while the percentage of "other" decreased was because, prior to 2003, Illinois counted risk of physical and sexual abuse under "other." Per instructions from NCANDS, those are now counted in physical or sexual abuse.
Section C (Children in Foster Care): There are several issues to be addressed in this section. In 2004, Illinois rewrote and resubmitted AFCARS data back to 2000. Prior to the rewrite, guardianships and children on run at the end of the reporting period were being counted improperly but were being properly counted at the beginning of the next period. Illinois' corrected submissions were not utilized in this report.
Outcome measure 3.1 (Exits from Foster Care): Because Illinois was not counting guardianships properly, they were falling into the category of "Other." For each year depicted in this report, approximately 13 percent of all exits were to guardianship. Less than 5 percent of exits were in "Other."
Outcome measure 5.1 (Time to Adoption): It is noted that Illinois was below the national average on adoptions achieved within 24 months. Illinois completed 2,700 adoptions in 2003 and about 16,000 for the four years in this report. Many of the children were longer-term cases able to achieve adoption even though it took over 24 months. As part of our efforts to improve performance in this measure, Illinois is actively working with the county courts to achieve more expeditious terminations of parental rights.
Outcome measure 3.4 (Exits to Emancipation): It is noted that an increasingly large percentage of exits to emancipation involve children younger than 12 when entering care. This is factual. The Illinois ward population has decreased substantially in recent years as more children move to permanency, but those legacy cases remaining often have been in the system for over four years. Illinois has begun a new program called Lifetime Approach that addresses both the needs of children who will achieve timely permanency and those older youth who must be prepared for an independent life.
Illinois [ Federal Comment ]
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
The following is a discussion of Illinois performance on the national outcomes established for the Report to Congress. The discussion focuses on the State'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, 7.5 percent of the children in Illinois who were victims of maltreatment during the first 6 months of the year experienced another substantiated or indicated maltreatment incident within a 6-month period (measure 1.1). This is about equal to the national median of 7.1 percent and represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (-22.7 percent change).
Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In 2003, 0.53 percent of the children in foster care were found to be maltreated by a foster parent or facility staff member (measure 2.1). Although this percent exceeds the national median of 0.39 percent, it represents an improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (-26.4 percent change).
Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In 2003, 79.6 percent of children exiting foster care (measure 3.1) in Illinois were discharged to a permanent home, which is lower than the national median of 86.3 percent. Also, 66.2 percent of children exiting foster care who had a diagnosed disability were discharged to a permanent home (measure 3.2), which is lower than the national median of 79.5 percent. Furthermore, only 50.7 percent of the children exiting foster care who were older than age 12 when they entered foster care (measure 3.3) were discharged to a permanent home, which is considerably lower than the national median of 72.2 percent.
In 2003, 65.1 percent of the children reported as emancipated from foster care (either through legal action or because they reach the age of majority) entered foster care when they were age 12 or younger (measure 3.4). This percent not only exceeds the national median of 29.6 percent, but also represents a decline in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+70.9 percent change).
There were differences in Illinois with regard to exits to permanency as a function of children's race (measure 3.5). (This was assessed only when a particular race or ethnicity accounted for at least 10 percent of the exits from foster care.) White (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care were more likely to be discharged to a permanent home (85.6 percent) than were Black (non-Hispanic) children exiting foster care (75.9 percent). In addition, the percentage of Black (non-Hispanic) children in the foster care population in 2003 (67.7 percent) far exceeded the percent of these children in the State's population (17.7 percent).
Outcome 4. Reduce time in foster care to reunification without increasing re-entry
In 2003, only 58.5 percent of all reunifications occurred within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 4.1). Although this percent is less than the national median of 72.0 percent, performance on this measure improved from 2000 to 2003 (+45.5 percent change). Also in 2003, 14.5 percent of reunifications occurred after the child had been in foster care for at least 36 months, which is higher than the national median of 3.5 percent and among the highest in the nation. However, performance on this measure also improved from 2000 to 2003 (-45.1 percent change).
With regard to re-entry into foster care, in 2003, 9.1 percent of the children entering foster care in Illinois were re-entering within 12 months of a prior episode (measure 4.2). This percent is about equal to the national median of 9.5 percent, and represents a performance improvement from 2000 to 2003 (-36.4 percent change). Also in 2003, 9.0 percent of the children entering foster care were re-entering more than 12 months after a prior foster care episode. Overall, 18.1 percent of all children entering foster care in 2003 had been in foster care at a prior time, compared to 2000, when 22.1 percent of the children entering foster care had been in foster care at a prior time.
Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In 2003, only 14.2 percent of all finalized adoptions occurred within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care (measure 5.1). Although this is less than the national median of 23.9 percent, it represents a substantial improvement in performance from 2000 to 2003 (+71.1 percent change).
Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In 2003, 82.6 percent of the children in foster care in Illinois for less than 12 months had two or fewer placement settings during their time in foster care (measure 6.1). This percent is slightly less than the national median of 84.2 percent. However, 63.7 percent of the children in foster care for at least 12 months, but less than 24 months, had two or fewer placement settings during their time in foster care, which exceeds the national median of 59.1 percent.
Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In 2003, 2.0 percent of the children entering foster care in Illinois who were age 12 or younger were placed in a group home or institution (measure 7.1). This percent not only is less than the national median of 8.3 percent, but also represents a performance improvement from 2000 to 2003 (-55.6 percent change).
